Meant To Be
by saberchic
Summary: Tifa finally has what she's always wanted...Cloud. But is Cloud really the right one for her? Reno isn't sure, and he's willing to put it all on the line to find out. RenoxTifa
1. Chapter 1

Ok. This is my first fanfic. I must say that I'm originally a Cloti fan, but after seeing some awesome Reno and Tifa fics, Reti is becoming one of my favotire couples.Thus, I was seemingly compelled to write one... Please read and review. Thanks!

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Chapter 1

It's been six months since Geostigma has disappeared—six months since Cloud has come home. Everything was perfect for Tifa Lockhart. Barret had just taken Marlene and Denzel to North Coral so Tifa and Cloud could have some well-deserved alone time. She missed the children already, but she had to admit to herself that it was nice to have a little time alone. It wasn't often that she had time to do the things she wanted.

"Cloud." She whispered his name as she swept the floor of her bar Seventh Heaven. She could hardly believe the change to his personality since he defeated Sephiroth for the second time. He really seemed to be trying to focus on the family more, _their _family. _No more running!_ The thought quickly flashed across her mind. A picture of Cloud appeared in her head—his spikey blond hair, bright blue eyes, well-muscled physique, soft lips… Yes, alone time with Cloud was definitely what she needed.

"Did you say something Tifa?" The waitress behind the counter piped up.

"Um, I was just wondering when we were getting in the shipment of wine I ordered last week."

"I thought it would be here today." The pretty waitress replied. "Would you like me to call and check with the company?"

"No thanks Cheryl." Tifa smiled. "I'll just have to be more patient." Tifa went back to her thoughts while the two women got the bar ready for business. Seventh Heaven was a popular bar in the town of Edge. It was a small, quaint bar with living quarters upstairs for Tifa, Cloud, and the kids. It wasn't much, but it was home. _Home._ Tifa thought. _With Cloud here it finally feels like home._

"So, uh, Tifa…" Cheryl shyly stammered. Tifa looked up from her thoughts. "Do you think _they_ will be here tonight?" she blushed.

Tifa knew exactly who she meant. They—they were the Turks. "It's a Friday night." Tifa smiled. "I wouldn't see why they wouldn't be." The Turks had made Seventh Heaven their new drinking ground. Every Friday and Saturday some, if not most, of the Turks would stroll in and settle in for a night of drinking. "Is there someone specific you were wondering about?" Tifa continued to smile, knowing full well which Turk Cheryl was hoping to see.

"Oh stop it!" Cheryl covered her face which had turned a nice dark shade of red. "You know…"

Tifa laughed out loud, throwing her head back. "You should talk to him Cheryl. He's really very nice although I didn't always think so. You're an attractive woman. I'm sure you have nothing to worry about."

"I don't know Tifa. Rude is always so quiet. I wouldn't know what to talk about."

"I'm sure you'll think of something." Tifa replied. The truth was, Cheryl was never hesitant about talking to someone she found attractive before. She usually had to beat off the men with a stick. Her long blond hair, dark blue eyes, and petite figure drew men like bees to honey. "I've never seen you like this before."

"Like what?" A masculine voice interrupted their conversation. Tifa spun around to see Cloud leaning against the doorway of the entrance. His piercing blue eyes looked from one woman to the other. "Or am I not supposed to know?" He quipped.

"Cloud! When did you get back?" Tifa hurried over to the tall man and circled her arms around his neck. "I missed you and the kids were bummed they didn't have a chance to say good-bye before they left." Cheryl chose that moment to leave and give the couple some privacy.

Cloud wrapped his arms around her waist and drew her to him, lightly brushing her lips with his. "About ten minutes ago." He smiled at her. "I've got a surprise for you." He kissed her again.

"What is it?" She asked excitedly. Tifa's mind raced with endless possibilities. _Flowers?_ _A picnic? Dinner out?_ She could barely contain her excitement. This was a Cloud she could get used to.

"A vacation. Just the two of us. Costa del Sol." Cloud looked into her russet-colored eyes and stroked her long, soft brown hair which flowed down her back to her waist. "I've booked a room for a week." Tifa was astonished and could only stare back at Cloud with a thunderstruck look on her face.

"Uh, I… huh? Wha-?" she spluttered out. Not much left Tifa speechless.

"Does this mean no?" Cloud frowned, playfully.

"No it does not! Of course I want to go, but what about the bar… and your delivery service?"

"Hey Cheryl!" Cloud called from over Tifa's shoulder.

"Yeah?" Cheryl peeked out of the back.

"Do you think you could run the bar for a bit if we hired some temporary help for you?"

Cheryl looked from Tifa to Cloud and smirked. "You bet."

Cloud looked into Tifa's sparkling eyes. "My delivery service can take a hiatus if I want to take a break… any other concerns Miss Lockhart?" he teased.

"When do we go?" Tifa was ecstatic.

"It's not for a couple of weeks. Summer is a busy time for that area." He released her and turned to go back out. "I have a few more local deliveries to do, but I'll be back tonight to help you with the bar." And with that, he left back out the front door.

Tifa felt as if things couldn't get any better.

* * *

"Tifa! Here they come!" Cheryl squealed. It was 10:30. They were right on time. "Oh my god! Do I look ok? How's my hair? Am I wearing too much blush?" Cheryl ran around the counter of the bar to catch a glimpse of herself in the large mirror behind Tifa's work station.

Tifa laughed. She couldn't remember laughing so much or enjoying life as much as she was now. "Cheryl! Calm down! You look fabulous. Why don't you show them to their usual table?" She shooed Cheryl from behind the bar and looked up at the entrance to see a pair of aquamarine eyes staring in her direction. She waved at the owner of those piercing eyes and smiled warmly. She mouthed a 'Yo!' in his direction.

Reno caught Tifa's look and returned it with a lop-sided grin. She looked radiant tonight. She was practically glowing. He started toward the counter, but was stopped by Tifa's helper. "Something I can do for ya?" He asked her, irritated by the obstacle she presented.

"Um… Tifa wanted me to show you to your regular table...if that's ok with you two?" Cheryl replied over the loud music playing over the sound system. She looked shyly up at Rude. "Will there just be two of you tonight?" Rude nodded his head in affirmation. "O-ok. Follow me." She cleared a path to their usual table in the back. "Here you go." She watched as Reno and Rude took their seats. "Can I get you gentlemen the usual?"

"…" Rude was silent, but Reno grunted in reply. Cheryl hurried away to get their drinks.

"Damn." Reno swore. He looked over at Tifa again. Her dark hair cascading down her back, her eyes dancing with laughter—it quite took his breath away.

"Go talk to her." Rude looked at Reno. Reno was never one to shy away from the ladies.

"What do you mean?" He looked at his bald companion. Rude even wore his sunglasses inside and at night. He smirked. "We're here to enjoy some drinks." Reno quickly shot a look in Tifa's direction.

"Uh huh." Rude wasn't convinced. He knew Reno too well even if Reno couldn't admit the real reason he couldn't stop coming here. Cheryl came back with their drinks.

"Are you sure there's nothing more I can get you?" She was looking directly at Rude.

"We're good sweetheart." Reno replied for them, snickering inside at the crestfallen look on the waitress' face. _Aw hell!_ He thought. _I'll give the poor kid some hope_. "But you should check back with Rude later. He didn't eat today. He'll probably be hungry after a few drinks."

"Ok!" Cheryl brightened at the suggestion and skipped off back to work.

"…" Rude slowly turned his head towards Reno with eyebrows raised.

"What?...Oh come on! That girl is so into you. Why don't you give her a try?"

"…"

"You'll see. Just be glad Elena isn't here tonight. She'd be telling that girl the most embarrassing stories about you she could think of." Reno laughed at his friend's discomfort. "Look at the way she flew back to Tifa." Reno looked at the bar again. He saw Tifa reaching up to get some liquor from a shelf. He let his eyes wonder over her sculpted body. She definitely had the body of a lean fighting machine and a rack that any man would love to get their hands on. _Long legs and a nice round ass._ _It's too bad she's with that Cloud guy._

Close to closing time Tifa was finally able to break away from her patrons and come visit the Turks. Reno smiled and shoved a chair in her direction. "About time Lockhart."

"Hey Reno. Hi Rude. How's it going?" Tifa sat down in the chair next to Reno, a little exhausted.

"Well babe, I knew you wouldn't be able to stay away from me for too long." Reno let his eyes wonder over Tifa.

"Whatever." She smiled, used to Reno's bravado. She returned the once-over he gave her. Reno was a stunner to put it mildly. The girls love his wild spikey red hair and exceptionally good looks. He exuded sexiness. She looked at his turk uniform, his top buttons were undone as usual and his jacket unzipped. The goggles he wore were not only stylish, but kept most of his long locks out of his face. His red hair tapered into a long ponytail which no woman could resist. She suddenly pictured herself locked in a passionate embrace with the Turk and running her fingers through his hair. _What is wrong with you?!_ She chastised herself. Why was it she always felt so drawn towards this man? The feelings were so powerful at times she felt overwhelmed by them. _I'm supposed to be with Cloud_… She reminded herself.

"Enjoying the view babe?" Reno teased and was pleased by the growing blush spreading across Tifa's face. "You know, I could give you a peek if there's something you'd like to check out…I show you, you show me…" His eyes looked hopeful and he leaned forward towards Tifa. "Come on Lockhart. You know you've been wanting to try something new and exciting and oh so satisfying..."

"In your dreams Turk!" Tifa laughed at Reno's apparent disappointment. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you had too much to drink." She leaned forward until she was mere inches from Reno's face and placed her hand on his. Reno felt his pulse quicken at her nearness. She stuck her tongue out at him playfully.

"Is that an invitation babe? Cause you shouldn't do that unless you mean it." His smoldering eyes locked onto hers and his hand was now playing with her fingers. Tifa smiled shyly at him and wondered why her stomach was doing flip-flops.

She turned to Rude. "Actually, I was wondering if you could do me a favor." She released Reno's hand regretfully and sat back in her seat. A slight frown creased Reno's face at her sudden withdrawal.

"…" Rude waited for her request.

"Could you walk Cheryl home tonight? Her brother usually stops in to pick her up, but he couldn't make it tonight." The Turk was silent for a minute, and Tifa thought he was going to turn her down.

"Sure."

"Thanks Rude. I'll go tell Cheryl." Tifa left the table to go tell Cheryl and issue the last call for the night. Ten minutes later the last of the customers were out of the bar and Cheryl was leaving with her Turk escort for the night. Reno had stayed behind and was helping Tifa close up the bar. "You know you don't have to do this Reno."

"I know babe. But I didn't want to ruin your setup with Rude and your little waitress."

"She has a name you know—Cheryl." She stopped wiping down her counter and watched Reno turn over the chairs and put them on the tables. "How did you know it was a setup?"

"Please Tif. Anybody could see that a mile away." He sat down on the seat in front of her. "How about joining me for a drink?"

"I don't know Reno. It's pretty late." She glanced at Reno, but she was no match for his cute puppy dog look. "Alright. I guess one drink couldn't hurt."

"That's my girl." Reno flashed his lop-sided grin at Tifa. "It's ok to relax you know."

At that moment there was a loud bang from the front door. Cloud came in, looking very wound up. He came around the bar and possessively put his arms around Tifa. "_Your_ girl Turk?"

"It was just a figure of speech Cloud." Tifa said, trying to appease him.

"Relax Spikey. I was just helping your woman relax, ya know. Put a smile on her face." Reno was getting annoyed with Cloud. _Just who does this guy think he is? He's certainly not worthy of someone like Tifa_. _He thinks because he's neglected her all these years he can waltz in and pretend he never hurt her?_ "Someone has to."

Cloud knocked the beer that Tifa had given Reno out of his hand, shattering it in pieces on the floor. "We're closed. You need to leave. Now. Just who do you think you are coming in here… like you know what's best for Tifa…"

Reno's temper got the better of him. "And you do Angst-boy?" Reno stood up and glared at Cloud. "Give me a break." Disgusted, he turned toward the door, but looked back at Tifa. "Out of respect for you, I'm gonna let his treatment of me slide. Nobody treats Reno of the Turks like that and gets away with it. No one!" And with that, he stormed out the front door. Tifa disengaged herself from Cloud and ran after Reno.

"Wait! This is just a misunderstanding." She stopped Reno outside the door. "Please don't be mad. Surely you can see how it must've looked to him when he came in."

"Please don't defend him Tifa. You always stick up for Angst-boy. Even with the way he's treated you. Fuck!" He looked into her eyes and felt himself calming down. "Just go back inside. Where you belong—with _him_."

Tifa reluctantly went inside. She had other problems now. Reno could hear their argument through the door.

"You've got it all wrong Cloud." Tifa was angry. "And why did you have to go and smash his drink like that? What is wrong with you?" She paused for a moment. "Reno is our friend." Another pause. "Fine… my friend." The rest of the conversation was muffled and Reno decided to head out.

He felt unsettled. _His girl_. What was getting into him? He honestly cared for Tifa. _She's my friend right? I only want what's best for her…_but he couldn't help the uneasy feeling he got when he thought of Cloud with Tifa. _Tifa…_She was the only woman who wouldn't swoon or throw herself at Reno. He had worked hard to establish their friendship. He didn't want to ruin it now. So why did he insist on picking fights with her boyfriend? He sighed, trying to clear his head of these troubling thoughts. At times like this, Reno fell back on his personal mantra. There were three things he loved to do—_fight, fuck, and drink,_ and since he already did the first and last, he turned his attention to the second. Surely that new blond at the ShinRa Company who was giving him the eye this morning wouldn't mind getting to know her co-worker a little better…

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Alright! Chapter 1 is done! Don't worry. There's a lot of Reti coming up. I promise! 


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Here's the second chapter. I hope you enjoy! Please read and review!

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy or any of the characters... although I wish I owned a few...

Chapter 2

Tifa awoke in a better mood than she went to sleep in. The fight with Cloud had blown over. Rolling over in bed, she took in his slumbering form. He seemed so peaceful—a concept which seemed almost completely foreign after spending so many years fighting his inner demons over the death of Aeris, her friend and rival for Cloud's affection. She only hoped that the new found outlook Cloud had adopted could last. _Don't go there…_ She warned herself. _That's all in the past now_. _He's here now. He promised he wouldn't leave again._

Cloud slowly opened his eyes and looked at Tifa. The morning light illuminated her face, making her look like an angel. "Hey… what are you doing awake so early?" His hand reached over to caress her cheek. Cloud stared at Tifa, mesmerized by her beauty. _Her hair… it looks so light, almost golden. _He looked deeply into her green eyes_… Wait. Green? _Cloud shut his eyes tightly. _No. Tifa's eyes aren't green; they're a beautiful red-brown._ He frowned and turned away from Tifa as sudden memories washed over him. Memories of someone else.

A wave of panic shot through Tifa. She could feel Cloud withdraw from her. "What's wrong?" She asked gently. An unsettling feeling of déjà vu began to descend on her. "Cloud." She reached out for him, but he got up and left the bed.

"I have some deliveries to run. I'll be back this afternoon." Silently, he pulled on his clothes, and, pausing in the doorway, he looked back and opened his mouth to say something, yet nothing came out. He turned around quickly and then was gone.

Tifa laid in bed awhile trying to figure out what had happened. Last night she had gotten Cloud to promise to apologize to Reno when he comes in next about his atrocious behavior. _**If**__ he comes in again, that is._ She thought. Reno was really pissed. Would he come back after being treated like that? Thoughts of the feisty red-head brought a smile to her face. She was sure he would come back. One fight wouldn't cause a rift in their friendship. Besides, his beef was with Cloud, and those two never saw eye-to-eye on things.

* * *

It was late afternoon, and Cheryl was busy unloading the shipment of wine that Tifa had ordered. She could barely focus on her task because thoughts of last night's escort kept invading her mind. She couldn't wait to tell Tifa. Cloud had returned not long ago, but Tifa was out. Being alone with Cloud always made Cheryl feel slightly uncomfortable. She couldn't help it. She had been here when he abandoned Tifa and the children, and she couldn't quite forgive him for his actions. She knew she was biased, and frankly, she didn't care. She only wanted to see Tifa happy. 

"Cheryl, do these look alright?" Cloud brought out a small vase with a few brightly colorful flowers in it.

Cheryl frowned. The only time Cloud brought flowers was when he needed to apologize to Tifa. "What did you do now?" She put her hands on her hips and stared accusingly at him. Cloud returned her scowl with one of his own.

"Can't a man bring his woman some flowers without being judged?"

"Of course they can, but not when the only time they give flowers to someone is to make up for being a jerk." Cheryl continued to stare down Cloud.

"I don't even know why I try." Leaving the flowers on the bar, he shook his head and walked away. Why did he constantly feel as if he were surrounded by women with attitude? _Women… I'll never understand them…_

There were few customers that afternoon when Tifa came back from her run. She liked to keep active, and sometimes she'd visit the local gym to keep toned or take some sparring classes to keep her chops up. She waved to a couple regulars as she made her way to the counter. She felt better. _Sometimes you just need to work off your anxiety._ She thought as she grabbed a glass of water and sat on one of the stools. Her short black spandex shorts and white fitted t-shirt brought approving glances from the men in the bar. She flipped her ponytail over her shoulder and motioned to Cheryl to come over.

Cheryl pointed to the flowers on the counter. "What's going on Tifa?" Cheryl's voice was full of concern. "I thought everything was ok with you two."

"Everything's fine." Tifa lied, more to herself than Cheryl. Cheryl gave her a skeptical look at that comment. "Ok… I give. You know me too well." Tifa replied. "There was a little altercation between Cloud and Reno last night. I'm still not sure how it got out-of-hand as quick as it did." A pensive expression adorned her face. "It's not like they were ever the best of friends, but… still…"

Cheryl wasn't sure how she should phrase what she was thinking. Tifa was her boss, yet she was so much more than that. She owed a lot to her, and so, felt compelled to say what came out of her mouth next. "Maybe… maybe it's because Cloud thinks Reno has a thing for you." She closely watched Tifa to see the impact her words would have.

Stunned, Tifa just looked at Cheryl. "Cheryl… I don't think… Is that what _you_ think?" Cheryl opened her mouth to reply, but at that moment some of the customers were signaling impatiently for service and Cheryl left without answering Tifa's question. Tifa pondered her statement. The thought of Reno having a crush on her was flattering. Her heart sped up a little at the thought of Reno. She always harbored an attraction for him; they definitely had some sort of chemistry. Sometimes the chemistry was so intense you could practically bottle it and sell it—it was that powerful. At least that's what Cheryl always told her. But she didn't want to think of that right now. _I'm supposed to be with Cloud…_ Why did she have to remind herself of that? And why was it usually when she thought of Reno? Tifa stood up abruptly. This kind of thinking was going to get her into trouble, and she needed to get ready for her shift tonight.

* * *

It was just after 10:30. Tifa kept glancing at the clock. Cloud, washing the pint glasses that Cheryl brought, noticed Tifa becoming more agitated. Every time the door opened, Tifa looked over to see who it was, but was disappointed when she didn't see spiky red hair. _Where is he?_ She wondered. He was breaking a ritual that she had grown accustomed to. She had become used to his presence and didn't like the thought which kept popping into her head. _Maybe he's still mad about last night and doesn't want to come here anymore._

* * *

Rude didn't want to come to Seventh Heaven tonight, but he'd promised Reno he would, and Rude wasn't one to break a promise. He sighed and entered the bar with Elena in tow. He couldn't help feeling he was making a huge mistake bringing Elena, but he didn't want to come alone either. He looked at the bartender and noticed her quizzical look at the sight of him without Reno. She waved at the Turks, and Elena made her way to the bar. 

"Hi Tifa! It's been a couple weeks. I could really use a beer." Elena stood at the end of the bar. "How's business?"

"Good." She handed Elena her drink. "Is Tseng still working?" Tifa was trying to work the conversation so that she could inquire about Reno. It really was odd that he wasn't there.

"Yep. Rufus has him making the preparations for our trip to Costa del Sol."

Tifa was surprised. "Really? When are you going? You know, Cloud and I are going there for vacation in a couple weeks."

"Not exactly sure. But it might be at the same time." Elena took another swig of her drink. "Wow. What a coincidence. We should meet up if that's the case."

Tifa smiled. She liked the upbeat Elena. She was a good person who took pride in her job. Elena's short cropped blond hair and petite stature fit her bubbly personality perfectly. "So that means Rufus must have the Turks working really hard right now." Now was her chance to bring up Reno.

Warning alarms sounded in Rude's head, but before he could react, Cheryl distracted him.

Elena replied casually. "Not really. Just Tseng at the moment."

Tifa glanced around to make sure Cloud was out of listening range, but she had nothing to fear because he was playing the role of bouncer at the moment with a couple of drunks. She didn't want him to misinterpret her motive. "So where's Reno?" _Smooth Lockhart. Just blurt it out. Subtlety is so not your strong point._

Elena laughed, and Rude looked away from Cheryl. He could tell something bad was happening, but was powerless to stop it. "Ha ha ha ha ha. That man is nursing a wound right now."

Tifa didn't see anything funny about that. "Is he ok?" Concern washed over her. "It's not serious is it?" Tifa was ignoring the hails of thirsty patrons. From across the room, Cloud narrowed his eyes. Something wasn't right about the conversation between Tifa and Elena.

"He's ok." Elena replied quickly. "He's just nursing his wounded _pride_." She was laughing again. "Apparently, from what I heard from some of the girls at the office, he took home the new flavor of the week. When they were…shall we say… being extremely intimate, he called out some other girl's name."

Rude grabbed Elena's arm. Reno was right about her; she would embarrass them if given the chance.

Elena continued, "She left him with a big red handprint on his cheek as an indication of what she thought about that." She shook off Rude's grip. "What? If you have something to add then say it. Do you know whose name he called out?"

Rude did indeed know, but he didn't respond to her probing. "We need to go. We just got paged." He lied to Elena.

"What timing!" Elena put down her beer and looked at Tifa. "I saw it. It looked pretty bad. It might take a day or two to fade." Rude was pulling on her sleeve impatiently. "Thanks for the beer Tifa. I hope we run into each other again at Costa."

Rude felt like he'd let down his best friend. Reno had asked him to go the bar to check on Tifa because he was worried about her. He told Rude about the fight with Cloud and made him promise to check on Tifa to make sure Strife wasn't taking his anger out on her. Rude ushered Elena outside and hailed a cab. "You go on. I have something to do first." Elena got inside, looking at Rude suspiciously. It wasn't like him to get sidetracked. When a Turk was paged, that Turk went without hesitation to headquarters. Rude silenced her with a stern look and whispered Elena's address to the driver. Then Rude settled himself in the shadows outside and watched the bar. His vantage point wasn't what he had hoped, but he was determined not to let Reno down again.

* * *

Tifa was a mix of emotions. She was rooted to the ground. _What is this feeling?_ An overwhelming feeling of escape overcame her. She had to get out, so with a quick look at Cloud, she hurried out the front door. Breathing in the night air, she wrapped her arms around herself. Tifa's stomach felt queasy. She could feel a prickling in her heart. It was an unpleasant feeling; realization was dawning on her. _I'm jealous._ _Insanely jealous._ Tifa realized this feeling needed to stop. It was irrational. Reno was a free agent and she wasn't. _I shouldn't be feeling like this._ She had made a commitment to Cloud, and even though life with Cloud wasn't always pleasant, she intended to keep trying because he _was_ getting better. 

Rude watched Tifa pacing around the entrance to her bar. This was an interesting development in his eyes. Could Elena have struck a nerve with Tifa? Rude watched her intently, hoping to be able to read more into her actions. Alas, Rude's hopes were dashed when Strife came outside. Strife talked to Tifa for a few minutes, and then they went inside together. Well, it looked like it would be along night after all. A small smile played on his lips. Perhaps that waitress would need another escort home tonight.

* * *

Tifa basked in the warm glow of the sun. The atmosphere at Costa del Sol had a way of erasing all the worries of the world. She loved everything about the beach town. It was a small, intimate town with an inn, a bar, a villa, and some kiosks near the beach. The locals appeared cheerful and welcoming to the tourists. She looked over at Cloud who was lying out next to her on the beach, sleeping. Tifa was grateful for the blue and while stripe umbrellas which dotted the shore to provide shade since the palm trees were sparse. 

Looking out at the water Tifa decided a swim was in order. The best part about the beach was the clear blue warm water; it looked so inviting. Tifa stood up and quickly adjusted her white bikini that Cheryl helped pick out for her before the trip. Though Tifa was physically fit, she was still a little self-conscious because she was so pale.

"Hey! Tifa!" Tifa looked to see a pretty blond woman in a pink bikini waving her arms in the air, trying to get her attention. "I was hoping to see you here." Elena had run up to them and was slightly breathless. Cloud awoke at her coming. "Hi Cloud."

"Hey." Cloud responded. He had been enjoying his nap. Tifa had dragged him around yesterday, their first day there, and he was still recovering.

"Rufus is relaxing for a bit in the villa he rented, so I've got some free time. Want to go get a drink at the bar with me?"

Tifa looked to Cloud and he answered her unspoken question. "Go ahead. I'll go back to the inn and rest some more before dinner." He smiled at Tifa.

"Ok…sounds good." She turned to Elena. "But let me get dressed before we go." Tifa started to turn back towards Cloud.

"You look fine." Elena grabbed Tifa by the arm and started pulling. "Let's go. Nobody cares. Tons of people go into the bar in their swimsuits." Elena and Tifa made their way up the stucco steps that led to the main town and into Bar del Sol. "There's everybody now." She waved to a group of men at the far table.

* * *

Reno choked on his beer. Rude glanced over at his partner to make sure he was alright and smiled. Reno's eyes were locked onto the striking vision which had just walked into the room. _She's a goddess_. He hadn't seen Tifa since the argument with Cloud in the bar. He wanted to say something, anything to her, but his mind was empty, so instead he just gawked at Tifa. 

Rude was the first to move. "Here." He took a chair from a vacant table and offered it to Tifa.

"Thanks." She nodded, looking more than slightly uncomfortable.

Elena turned and looked at Tseng. "Look who I found down by the water?"

"A pleasure, Miss Lockhart, as always." Tseng nodded a greeting in her direction. "Can we get you anything?" At Tifa's affirmation Tseng called the waitress over and Tifa ordered her drink.

Reno was still staring at Tifa with unabashed admiration. A quick elbow from Rude brought him back to his senses. "Well, well, well… I see you _still_ can't stay away from me. You've followed me out all the way over here." He leaned forward toward Tifa. "Does this mean you've finally ditched Strife and want to try out a real man?"

Tifa took his bait. For some reason, she was perturbed by his casual attitude towards her. "When I see a real man, I'll let you know." Elena was in stitches and Tseng was wearing a broad smile when the waitress brought her colorful drink. She stole a glance at Reno, admiring the loose white buttoned shirt and tight jeans he was wearing. In true Reno fashion, he had the top two buttons undone, enticingly exposing part of his upper chest. Her mind quickly wandered into dangerous territory.

"Tifa?"

"Huh?" Elena's voice rapidly brought her back to reality.

"I asked when you and Cloud got here."

"Um…yesterday. We went for a canoe tour of the bay and actually surfed for most of the day." She took another sip of her drink and stole another glance at Reno. "When did you guys get here?"

"Last week," was Elena's reply. "Why don't you and Cloud join us for dinner tonight?"

Reno's heart tightened at the question. He paused with his beer bottle tilted back almost to his lips, waiting for her response. He didn't mind being with Tifa, but Cloud always rubbed him the wrong way even when he was trying to be nice to the guy.

"Thanks for the invite, but we already have plans for dinner tonight." Reno was thankful for her answer and took a swig of his beer. He didn't know if he could handle seeing Tifa with Cloud when she was looking as hot as she was. _Wait a minute. She's Strife's girl. Always has been._ But he couldn't disable his feelings for her. The blond he'd hooked up with a few weeks back could tell you that… and unfortunately, she had told plenty of people at the company. His pride still stung from that. He _was_ a ladies man after all.

"That's alright Lockhart. We can hook up some other time…" Reno's face drained of all color. "I mean all of us… not you and me…" Did that just come out of his mouth? Didn't he just reaffirm that she was Strife's girl? He felt trapped, and truth be told, a little unnerved. This wasn't the first time he was wondering what was going on with himself. Why did he always have to make an ass of himself when Tifa was around? Thankfully, Elena actually came to his rescue.

"You bet!" She piped up as she observed the reddening color on Tifa's face. Gears started turning in her head as she looked from Tifa to Reno and back again. She could feel something in the air.

"Come on Reno." Tseng got up from the table. "We need to go check on Rufus. Miss Lockhart, until next time…" He stood up and stared at Reno.

"Later Lockhart." Reno vacated his seat and followed Tseng out the door. Relief swept over him. It was one thing to flirt with her; it was quite another to appear to be making dates with her.

"Reno. I hope I can count on you not to lose your head here." Tseng's warning sounded in Reno's ears. "Don't cause trouble. Not with Strife. He's a popular hero, and people love him. Shinra doesn't need any more negative publicity, especially with the conference coming up in Junon."

"Yeah, yeah. I got it. I wasn't planning on doing anything…" His voice trailed off as an apparition of Tifa flashed in his head. "I'm a Turk. I'm not gonna cause any trouble."

_Famous last words._ Tseng thought. He decided he'd need someone to keep an eye on Reno. There was a reason Tseng was the leader of the Turks; he knew them better than they knew themselves.

* * *

A/N: Ok. I hope you liked it. Things are definitely going to pick up from here on out. Please let me know what you think... 


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Ok. Here's the next chapter!!!

Chapter 3

Tifa went back to the inn and found, to her surprise, a private dinner setting placed at a table for two. Two tall candles were just being lit as she entered. Everything looked elegant, including Cloud. He looked good, _real good_, in his black pants and navy colored buttoned up shirt. Dark blue had a way of setting off his light blue Mako enhanced eyes.

"Oh my gosh! This is—more than I expected. Oh Cloud!" She ran up to him and threw her arms around his neck.

He kissed her lightly before replying, "Go get changed. Dinner's almost ready." But he didn't let her go. He kept his arms around her.

"But… I have nothing to wear. All I brought were beach clothes." Tifa was at a loss.

"You have that pale blue sundress. That'll be fine." He gave her another kiss, but this one was a bit longer than before. The innkeeper came out with their food.

"Give me two minutes!" she yelled as she ran. Tifa's heart soared. Ripping off her bikini, she rapidly changed into her dress and sandals back in their room. _Breathe!_ She commanded herself. _He's really outdone himself this time. I thought we'd have a quiet dinner somewhere, but this is…_ She couldn't finish her thought because she felt overwhelmed with emotion. Cloud was full of surprises lately, and she decided to enjoy them instead of question it. Rejoining Cloud, Tifa flashed him a dazzling smile.

"That's my girl." Cloud escorted her to a chair and helped her sit down.

_That's my girl…_ The thought echoed in her head, and she suddenly remembered someone else who had said that to her recently. A slow blush colored Tifa's face as Reno's face appeared in her mind. _Stop it!_ She scolded herself.

"How was your afternoon? You spent a lot of time with Elena in the bar." He laughed quietly. "I was wondering if I was going to have to go in and drag you out of there." He poured some wine for her.

Tifa was glad he didn't show up. She could only imagine his reaction if he had walked in and found her there in her bikini with the Turks. She wasn't blind. She saw some of the looks she had gotten in the bar from the patrons. _Lots of carnage…_she thought, but she outwardly replied, "It was fun. I like hanging out with Elena." _And Reno…Ok. That's enough! What's wrong with you? _She decided to change the subject. "What do you want to do tomorrow?" Tifa reached for Cloud's hand.

"Let's not think of tomorrow." A slight frown appeared on his face, but then disappeared. He fell silent for a bit. "You looked amazing in that bikini today. Cheryl help you pick that out?" He knew the answer of course. Tifa would never be that daring when she went shopping. Tifa merely nodded her response and the both of them started eating.

"I still can't believe we're here. Just the two of us." She said between bites. She looked again into Cloud's bright blue orbs and tried to imagine what the rest of their vacation would bring. _This is what I've always wanted… life with Cloud-- together._

Cloud took her hand in his, and with his thumb, traced small circles around the back of her hand. "You deserve happiness. You've always been there for me… even when I wasn't always there for you. I'm just trying to make up for it." He blushed, embarrassed by the admission. Smiling, he picked up her hand and lightly kissed the back of it.

It was moments like this that made Tifa glad she never gave up on Cloud. "You have nothing to "make up" for. That's all in the past. Let's look toward the future now."

Cloud always admired Tifa's optimistic attitude; it's what drew him to her when they were young children growing up in Nibelheim. She constantly tried to find the positive in everything, and for that, he relied on her to keep him going when things looked bad. "I'm not so sure about that. The past is never too far behind…" Cloud's thoughts became distant as an image of Aeris emerged in his head.

_Not again…_ Tifa felt Cloud's attention shift elsewhere. "Earth to Cloud. Hello?"

"Sorry Tifa." His smile was a little sad. "I'm really trying."

Putting her utensils down, Tifa suggested, "Let's go for a walk on the beach. It's a clear night. The stars should be brilliant." She pulled on his hand and roused him up from his chair. "Come on." She flashed him an inviting smile.

The night air was still cooling from the heat of the day, but there was a slight breeze coming off the water, which made the atmosphere pleasant. Cloud remained silent, but Tifa didn't mind. She walked a few steps behind him, searching the night sky for constellations. There were a few other couples walking along the water's edge too, and a couple of bonfires, yet the beach wasn't crowded at all. Cloud and Tifa had plenty of privacy.

"Tifa? Are you enjoying tonight?" Cloud asked tentatively.

"Yes. Why?" Tifa quit searching the sky and looked at Cloud carefully. "Aren't you?"

Cloud hesitated before he answered. "… Of course I am. I just wanted tonight to be memorable for you. You're always putting my needs or the kids' needs first."

"How like Tifa." A strange but familiar voice broke into their conversation. "This is certainly a surprise, or would have been if I hadn't already been notified of your arrival." Rufus Shinra was standing in front of the couple. He was accompanied by a pretty lady and two Turk bodyguards, Tseng and Rude, who nodded in acknowledgment to them.

"Shouldn't you be running a company?" Cloud shot back at the blond haired handsome man. He never trusted the president of the Shinra company, after all, every tragedy originated with them— the creation of Sephiroth, Aeris' death, the destruction of his hometown, Zack's death. Everything Cloud held dear, Shinra had a hand in destroying.

Rufus merely laughed at Cloud's reaction, "Even presidents get some relaxation. I expect a hero of your status could attest to that. You can't always be off saving the world."

"…" Cloud was silent. Tifa decided it was time to step in.

"You're right. Well, I think we'll let you get back to your… evening." She smiled at Rufus and then Tseng and Rude. Tseng returned the smile, and Tifa tugged on Cloud to continue their stroll.

"Have a pleasant evening Tifa, Cloud." Rufus called after them.

The couple could hear his laughter fade behind them. "You alright Cloud?" Tifa searched his face for a clue as to what he was feeling, but as usual, could find nothing behind the mask.

"…Let's just walk." He started off again, and Tifa found Cloud was leading them back to the inn. "I'm a little tired. I think I'll go to bed." He walked quickly and left Tifa standing slightly in shock in front of the inn steps. This night had quickly turned from remarkable to awful.

Tifa decided to go for a walk by herself, so she made her way to the beach front again. Taking off her sandals, she walked barefoot through the water that washed up on the sand. _I don't get him sometimes. Dinner was wonderful. How can one thing set him off like that? Seeing Rufus wasn't that bad. It's not like Rufus is the same person he was when we first fought Shinra._ The Shinra Company now worked hand-in-hand with the WRO: the World Regenesis Organization. The WRO was in charge of rebuilding the planet after Meteor arrived to destroy the planet. She sighed and sat down on a chair. This was not what she wanted. She just wanted to be happy, yet happiness wasn't something easily attainable with Cloud. _But it's what I've always wanted…_ Sleep. That's what she needed. She rose out of the chair and headed back to the inn.

"Cloud?" She called for him softly. He wasn't in bed, so she tapped on the bathroom door. "Cloud?" She called again, but received no reply. _Maybe he went out…_It was then that she noticed the note on his pillow. Picking it up, she opened it and started reading.

Tifa,

I'm sorry. I can't do this anymore. It's not fair to you. You deserve happiness. I can't seem to shake the past, no matter how much I try to move on… Please don't be mad. I need to leave for awhile. I don't know if I'll be back.

Cloud

Tifa stared at the note. _What? What is this?_ She read the note again. Despair flooded her senses. "No!" Tears were streaming down her face. "I don't get it!" She cried aloud. She crumpled to the floor. _This isn't happening! Lies! Everything he said was a lie!_

* * *

Reno sat alone in the Bar del Sol. He had been chatting with a cute red head, but he was distracted by thoughts of a beautiful brunette in a bikini. _Damn her!_ As far as Reno was concerned, she was starting to cramp his style. He sent the red head on her way and ordered another drink. He just needed to clear his head, that's all. He scanned the room. Tseng and Elena were at a table, laughing and talking in low voices. A few women were scattered around the room, and some local body builders were there as well. _Boring! Not enough game._ He thought, but if he were being honest with himself, he didn't mind it so much.

Rude arrived at his table and sat down. "Hi."

"Yo. Rufus having fun?" Reno smiled at Rude's nod. "Let me get your drink." He signaled the waitress over and ordered his best friend a drink.

"What's going on?" Rude inquired. "You seem… different." He smiled.

"Don't know what you mean man." Reno avoided the question. "Just sitting here drinking."

"Alone? Not like you." He wasn't sure if he should continue, but he had a clue as to what was bothering his friend. "Is it "her"?" Rude closely examined his friend's face. He had his answer before Reno could give it.

"…How do you know?... Wait. Dumb question, I know. You know me too well." He finished that last statement bitterly. "A guy can't have any secrets…" Reno sighed. "Yes. I don't know why I feel like I do, but for some reason that girl gets to me." He looked at Rude's face. "And I don't really want to examine why I feel like I do, ok? She's with somebody else… I just need to stay away from her for awhile. That's it!" Reno sounded more confident now. "I'm going to stay away from Tifa!" This last statement was a little louder than Reno had anticipated; Tseng and Elena looked over at his table with questioning looks. Reno groaned. This was going to take some explaining to get himself out of this mess.

"Look." Rude motioned to the door. It was as if God was playing with Reno. There was Tifa, looking as beautiful as ever. She paused in the doorway and made her way to the bar.

"God's a woman. She hates me. I swear I'm trying to be good…." He lowered his head to the table. "Is she trying to torment me on purpose?" He raised his head and looked over at the bar. Something was a bit off… But he was going to keep his oath… He was…

* * *

Tifa didn't even notice who was in the bar. She searched for an open seat at the counter and plopped down. "I'd like a beer bartender." She ordered. _I need a drink to calm my nerves. What am I going to do? What's wrong with me that he can toss me aside so easily?_ She downed her first drink rather quickly, so she ordered another.

Reno kept a close eye on Tifa. "Rude, she's had five drinks. Something's wrong. Where's Strife? I thought they had plans tonight."

* * *

Tifa was tired of this. _Why should I be sad? Don't I deserve to be happy? Isn't that what Cloud said?_ "Liar!" she shouted out loud to no one in particular. _Ok. Maybe I've had too much to drink._ But Tifa didn't care by this point. "Bartender, I'd like a bottle of the best wine you have." He looked at her skeptically. "I'm taking it back to my room. Where I'll be drinking. Alone…"

"Are you sure? You seem like you've had enough."

"Don't worry. I'll make sure she gets back to her room." One of the body builders got up and looked at Tifa hungrily. The bartender gave Tifa her bottle, and the stranger grabbed Tifa around her waist. "Come on sweetheart. I'll make sure you get home."

"Whatever." Tifa replied despondently.

The guy grinned and gave a thumb's up sign to his buddies at the bar. "Let's say we have some fu-" He was interrupted when Reno's fist crashed into his jaw.

"Get your hands off her you creep." Reno didn't wait for the stranger to respond to his order. With a speedy roundhouse kick to the head, the guy dropped to the ground unconscious. Reno grabbed Tifa by the shoulders and looked defiantly around the room. Rude stood up and made his way over to back up his partner. The duo looked menacing; nobody moved. Tseng was frowning and whispered something to Elena.

"Go." Rude urged Reno.

Reno didn't need to be told twice. He gently escorted Tifa out the door and towards the inn. _So much for staying away…_

"No! I don't want to go back there!" Tifa struggled against his powerful grip.

"Ok. Ok. Calm down. Where do you want to go?"

"Anywhere but there. I don't care. I don't care anymore." Tears were beginning to trickle down her cheeks.

"Alright. I know a place." Reno guided Tifa up the stairs to the villa Rufus had rented, but instead of continuing inside, he steered them over the walkway and onto the deserted port of Costa del Sol. He found some crates located by the metal wall that had "Port del Sol" scripted across it. They sat on the crates, side by side, as Tifa recounted her night with Cloud. Reno listened patiently, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze when she faltered. After she unloaded her burden, they sat in silence for a bit, holding hands with their fingers intertwined.

"I'm sorry Reno. I didn't mean to dump on you or be a burden." Tifa started to feel a bit more sober and more than a little guilty. Her hand that Reno didn't have clutched in his put down the unopened bottle of wine. "I really didn't mean to drink that much either." She was embarrassed now and blushing. "I'm sorry if I caused you any problems."

"Don't sweat it Lockhart. And quit apologizing. You have nothing to be sorry about. What are friends for anyway? Hell, you should see what I put Rude through when I get wasted." Outside, Reno tried to be nonchalant, but he was seething on the inside. _That stupid jerk did it again! _A small smile caressed Tifa's lips. _That's what I love to see…_Reno sighed and let his head fall back against the wall.

"I feel like a fool." Tifa continued. "And the funny thing," she gave a bitter laugh, "was that I could almost feel it happening. What is wrong with me?" She shook her head as if to clear it out of all thought.

"There's nothing wrong with you." He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. _Wait! My oath… I'd better be careful… No… She's not with Cloud now… What does this mean? _His mind raced for answers he was afraid to find. He slowly turned her face so that she was looking at him. "You are beautiful, intelligent, funny, sexy… What you _are_ is too good for him." Reno's stomach was feeling queasy now.

"You think so?" She whispered to him, her eyes half closed.

Reno felt for the second time today that he was in some kind of danger. He just wasn't sure what that danger was. _Whoa! Is she leaning in towards me?_ Alarm bells were ringing in his head. He felt himself lean in closer against his will. Her warm breath smelled sweet from the drinks she had earlier, and he suddenly wanted to find out just what she had to drink the fun way.

"Reno!" Tseng's sharp voice cut through the air, bringing Reno back to reality. Tseng watched as Tifa and Reno sprang apart and hop off the crates they were sitting on. Tifa swayed a little, but Reno grabbed her arm to steady her. "Elena, take Tifa back to her room. Reno, follow me."

"I'm alright Tseng." Tifa interjected. "I can find my own way back."

Tseng looked at Tifa, assessing her sobriety. "Ok." He turned to Reno. As Tifa was slowly walking away, she could hear the reprimand from Tseng. "You've caused some trouble back there. You know we need to keep a low profile. It looks bad on the company…" His voice trailed away. What Tifa didn't see was Tseng nod to Elena to follow her.

* * *

Tifa felt ashamed of her behavior. _I got drunk. How stupid… and I got Reno in trouble… Reno… Oh my God!_ "I almost kissed Reno!" The spoken thought shocked her system. She clutched the wine bottle tightly that she carried with her, stopping dead in her tracks. She wasn't sure what astonished her more, the fact that she almost kissed him or the dawning realization that she was disappointed that it didn't happen. _I really am a basket case. Cloud leaves me and a few hours later I'm trying to kiss someone else._ Tifa walked back to the inn. Hesitating at the door, she took a deep breath and let herself inside.

* * *

Elena made sure Tifa was safely inside before heading back to Tseng. Rude was still trying to smooth things over with the bartender. _We need to do damage control before Rufus finds out. _Rufus paid the Turks to take care of problems, not cause them. It was just before midnight. _Hopefully Tseng has Reno under control._ She almost laughed out loud at the thought. _As if Reno is controllable... He may be a Turk, but he certainly does things his way._ Elena saw Rude leave the bar and called to him. "Everything ok?"

"Yes." He searched her face. "Reno?"

"Tseng's with him now. Look. There they are." Elena and Rude watched the duo walk over to the villa door. Neither looked happy. Elena had a feeling her assignment wasn't going to get any easier.

* * *

Tifa awoke mid-morning. The sun was shining in through the window. She was faced with some rather big decisions today. _This is what happens when you avoid your problems. Why didn't I pay attention to the warning signs?... Should I even continue to stay here or just head home? What will I tell the kids?_ Tifa wasn't sure what she should do, but what she did know was that she wasn't going to stay in bed and mope all day. That wasn't her style. She dressed in her workout clothes and opted to take a jog along the beach. Running helped her to clear her head.

After running, she changed into a white tank top and short green shorts. Taking a stroll along the beach, she stopped to stare at the incoming waves. _I feel so peaceful._ Tifa's body felt lighter as if a heavy weight had been lifted off her. _You know what? I'm gonna stay and enjoy my time here. Cloud was right. I do deserve happiness._

* * *

_A/N: I hope you enjoyed this installment. Please review and let me know what you think! _

_Dantir: I got your msg. I think you and I are thinking along the same lines... :-) Just wait and see..._


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Hello again! A quick reminder that I don't own Final Fantasy or any of the characters... Please read and review. I want to know what you think!!!

Chapter 4

Reno had the sneaking suspicion that Tseng was trying to keep him unusually busy. Over the next several days, Reno found himself doing trivial tasks, from fetching newspapers to scheduling Rufus' massages. _Shit! I'm a Turk! Why am I doing secretary stuff? I should be out doing something. And why am I the only one doing all this crap?_ Not once did he see Rude or Elena scrambling around for Tseng. In fact, Rude and Elena seemed to have a lot more free time now. _Tifa._ It seemed Reno's thoughts never strayed far from her lately._ I wonder how she's doing... Stupid Elena!_ It wasn't that Reno disliked Elena, but she was practically attached to Tifa's side since that night, and he hadn't a free moment to go see how she was. He would never admit it, but he was a little jealous of all the time Elena was spending with Tifa. Reno became flushed as he remembered Tifa's warm breath on his face. He was beginning to smell a conspiracy. _Well two can play this game Tseng…_

* * *

Tifa was happily out of breath since she and Elena had been surfing all morning and for the better portion of the afternoon. It was good to have an outlet for all this energy she felt bursting from inside her. "Elena!" She called as a huge wave was coming up. "Let's get some lunch." Her stomach growled, angry that she hadn't eaten anything all day. The wave was fast approaching, so Tifa quit paddling and raised herself on the board. She briefly wondered if she'd run into Reno. She really wanted to talk to him about that night before she left tomorrow. _Maybe I can convince Elena to have lunch with the rest of the Turks. _Of course she didn't know exactly what she wanted to say to Reno, just that she wanted to talk to him. _We should-Aahhhh!!!!_ The warm water swallowed Tifa as she fell off her board, distracted by thoughts of the red-head. She felt the tug of her board as the connecting cord pulled on her ankle. She emerged from the water sputtering and laughing.

Elena rode the wave in and ran up on the beach to Tifa. "Graceful ride back there." She laughed. She enjoyed this assignment. Tseng had instructed her to keep Reno and Tifa separated and investigate what exactly was going on with Cloud and Tifa. Elena wasn't sure why, but an order was an order, and she was sure Tseng had good reason to issue it. So far, her assignment hadn't been too difficult. She had expected more problems from Reno, and she would've been right had Tseng not been stuck to Reno like glue. The one night Reno did get her alone, he grilled her about Tifa- how was she doing, did she look ok, was she eating? Luckily for her, Tseng had walked in and put an end to that. She giggled as she remembered the outraged look on Reno's face.

'_You want me to what?' Reno was confused._

'_I need you to obtain a performance schedule for the Gold Saucer.' Tseng calmly replied._

'_Why? Do you know what time it is? The information booth is closed now.'_

'_Rufus might want to take in a show tomorrow night.' Tseng stared intently at Reno._

'_Whatever man.' Reno turned to go, hoping the bar would have some information about the nearby amusement park's events._

'_Oh, and Reno. I'll need you to find Rufus a new bathrobe. The complimentary one they provided is scratchy.'_

'_Come on!' Reno shouted. 'Are you for real?' Reno shook his head in disbelief. 'You can't be for real…'_

_Tseng tried hard not to smile. He was enjoying this. For Tseng, it was an opportunity to exact a little retribution for all the times Reno made life difficult for Tseng. 'Make sure it's white. He wants it for tomorrow morning.'_

'_Where am I supposed to find something like that at this hour? It's eleven!' Reno was fuming. 'And why the fuck do I have to do this?'_

'_Are you telling me you can't perform these few simple tasks? I thought you were a Turk…' From the look on Reno's face, Tseng knew he won this argument. _

'_I'm a Turk not somebody's lackey.' Reno grumbled softly as he went out the door._

Elena felt she could go for some food about now too. "Where do you want to go? There's that hamburger stand that we haven't tried yet."

"Sounds good. Do you want to meet up with the others and we can all go over?" Tifa hoped she wasn't being transparent. The girls started walking back toward the inn after they had returned their rental surfboards.

Elena experienced a small pang of guilt. So far, she had kept Tifa and Reno separated though Tifa had occasionally suggested that they meet up with the other Turks for dinner or drinks or whatever else she thought up. "Sorry Tifa. Rufus has the others doing different tasks right now."

Tifa's suspicions were beginning to solidify, so she turned to her friend. "So how did you get so lucky? You certainly seem to have a lot of free time." Tifa asked curiously.

Elena had been prepared for this, and answered quickly. "I was super busy with Rufus when we first got here. We got here like five days before you and Cloud. We're taking shifts so everyone can enjoy some time off."

Tifa's eyes darkened at the mention of Cloud's name. Elena had tried to inquire about 'that night' on several instances, but Tifa remained tight lipped about the whole thing. The only real fact that Elena could ascertain was that Cloud was gone, and Tifa didn't seem to want to talk about him anymore. "Um…actually, I think I'll pass. I need to get out of the sun. I'm already turning red from being outside this long." She smiled at Elena. It's not that she didn't like her, but there was something going on, and Tifa wanted to get to the bottom of it without being hindered. "We should get together later at the bar and celebrate my last night here."

Elena shrugged her shoulders. "Sure. Whatever you want. Meet me at eight?"

Tifa shook her head in agreement and the two women went their separate ways. _I have to find Reno_. It became a driving need. Her heartbeat rapidly sped up at the thought of finding Reno. _I want to talk to him. But where to look?_ Her stomach growled again, reminding Tifa that she needed fuel if she was going to search around for Reno.

* * *

"This better work." Reno muttered to himself as his countenance assumed a mask of irritation. He stormed out of his room and sat dejectedly on the couch. Rude looked over at his best friend. 

"What's wrong?" Rude inquired from the comfort of a plush chair. He had been enjoying the book he had been reading. In Rude's line of work, Turks didn't often have time to relax, for they were the strong-arm of ShinRa Inc.

Reno leaned his head back against the cushion and stared at the ceiling. "Rufus called. He wants me to go find that blond woman he was with earlier this week and invite her to dinner. Man! I don't know where I'm gonna start lookin'." He looked at Rude. "I can't really remember what she looked like either." He groaned before continuing. "This may take awhile. Tell Tseng I'll be out searching for her." Reno stood up and turned to go, but stopped when Rude laughed.

"You think I was gonna buy that?" Rude watched his friend's immobile back.

"I was hoping you would." Reno turned around slowly. "Or are you on their side?" _Let's play the friend card_. He thought.

Rude grinned. "You know I got your back, partner." Reno seemed to relax at his words. "Is that the story you want to go with?"

"Yeah. Can you make it work?" He asked. Rude agreed and Reno started off again.

"Hurry before someone else returns." Rude advised. "Oh, and when you find "her" just make sure you don't get caught." Reno could never fool Rude. Rude was too good at reading people. He just hoped his friend could find what he was looking for.

Reno paused halfway through the door. "Thanks partner. I'll repay the favor sometime."

* * *

_Be brave._ Tifa approached the door and tentatively knocked and waited for an answer. A very surprised Tseng stood with the door open. "Hi."

"Miss Lockhart. To what do we owe the pleasure?" Tseng opened the door to let her pass through. As Tifa passed through she scanned the room. _Wow. This villa is really nice... Ok Lockhart. Think of something._

"Um… is Elena here?" _Chicken!_ Tifa was still feeling nervous. _Damn! Why did it have to be Tseng?_ He would definitely be able to thwart her plans if he caught on. She would have to be careful. Tseng was, without doubt, very shrewd.

"No. She's on an errand right now with Rufus and Rude." Tseng motioned for Tifa to take a seat on the couch.

"No. That's ok." Tifa declined his offer. "I was hoping to get her opinion on something." She laughed and started to edge back toward the door. "Oh well. I guess I'll be going."

"You can wait for her if you like." Tseng planted himself in front of the door. "Please. She should be back soon. Unless… is someone waiting for you? Cloud perhaps?" Tseng saw a flicker of irritation flash in Tifa's wine-colored eyes. He wouldn't pass up this opportunity to glean some information.

"No." She paused, her mind racing. She didn't want to appear rude; she just wanted to find out if Reno was here and talk to him. _It's too quiet. He's not here. How do I get out without seeming suspicious?_ "But I probably should get some rest. Elena is supposed to meet me at the bar tonight. I was just in the neighborhood, so I thought I'd just pop over really quick" Inspiration suddenly hit Tifa. She walked up to Tseng. "Say, it's my last night here. Why don't all of you join me and Elena for some drinks?"

Tseng observed Tifa. He could tell she wanted to leave, but he wasn't going to make it easy for her. He flashed his most disarming grin. "That'd be nice. I'll have to see what Rufus is planning, but I think most of us can make it."

"Good. Well, then I'll see you later." She moved closer to the door, but Tseng didn't move. _Time to switch tactics Lockhart._ "Tseng, is there something you want to ask me or is my company that captivating?" She asked as innocently as possible.

"Actually, yes." Tseng went for a direct assault. "I wanted to discuss some business with Cloud, but I haven't seen him around. Can I escort you back to your room and talk to him?"

_Oh god!_ Tifa was blindsided by that one. She didn't want to deal with this baggage yet. Why did everyone seem to want to know about her and Cloud? Well, maybe a little honesty would come in handy… "He's not here anymore. He left. Had to go and take care of some stuff." She tried to maintain direct eye contact with him.

"He left you here alone?" Tseng's frown betrayed his thoughts. "Is everything alright?"

"Of course." Tifa's chin rose defiantly. "Something important came up."

"Something important? And your still here on vacation?" Tseng didn't believe her and told her so.

Tifa knew she screwed up. _Man. I don't want to air my dirty laundry._ "It's important, but not that pressing. And no," she answered his unspoken query before he could air it, "I'm not sure how long he'll be gone. Can I go now?" Hands on her hips, she gave Tseng an intimidating stare.

He moved out of her way, and she opened the door. In her haste to escape, she tripped and fell into the arms of someone unexpected. Just as that happened, a flash of light blinded Tifa. When she opened her eyes, her face was inches away from Rufus Shinra's.

* * *

Reno had searched all over Costa del Sol for a familiar brunette. _Where is she? I've looked everywhere._ He was gradually beginning to lose his patience. He searched her room twice to no avail. Costa wasn't a big town, but he had spent hours scouring the area and hadn't turned up any sightings. He was starting to worry.

"Reno!" A female voice called out to him. "What are you doing here?" Elena walked up to him.

"I'm trying to find that blond Rufus was with earlier this week. He wants to take her out again." He lied to her.

"Funny. He didn't say anything to me about that. We were just out."

"I don't think Rufus has to tell you everything that's going on in his life." He smirked. "I don't think he necessarily feels the need to keep you apprised of his active night life." He knew this kind of talk would make Elena change the subject.

"Alright. Point made." She glanced over Reno's shoulder. "Look! There she is!"

Reno once again felt the distinct hand of a cruel female god. _What are the odds? _Reno knew he had to approach the lady if his story was going to hold. The blond seemed extremely pleased to be asked out for another night with Rufus. Reno knew he was going to have to do rectify the situation later, but he wasn't concerned about that right now.

Elena and Reno proceeded to walk back to the villa. Elena used the opportunity to try to get the information that Tseng wanted. "So Tifa and I went surfing today." She looked out of the corner of her eye at Reno, who seemed to perk up at the mention of Tifa.

"Good for you." Reno's guard went up. He wasn't going to give her any information. What happened with Tifa and Cloud was none of the Turks business. If she wanted others to know, then she would tell them.

Elena wondered how Reno would react to being baited. "Yep. We caught some waves, and then had a few drinks with some guys." She could see Reno's jaw clench tightly, an angry glint sparked in his eyes. "I was afraid Cloud was going to come up, but Tifa assured me that wouldn't happen. You know how he can get…"

Images of Tifa laughing and carrying on with strange men infuriated Reno. Some local kids were playing with a soccer ball, which had rolled by in front of Reno and Elena. With a forceful kick, Reno sent the ball flying. "Yes I do." He answered tersely.

Elena wondered if she crossed a line. Reno looked pissed. "You know-"

"Shut it Laney!" Reno interrupted. He stomped up the steps to the villa and flung open the front door. He didn't like the feeling that was spreading throughout him like a disease. It was unpleasant, and it made his heart feel like it was being twisted.

Tseng's head snapped up at Reno's thunderous entrance. He looked at Elena's grim countenance as she slinked in behind the enraged Turk. "Reno. You've been gone for awhile. Did-" But Tseng never got a chance to finish his question. Reno continued past Tseng and into his room where he slammed the door – hard. Tseng changed his mind. _Perhaps it would be better to work in a more controlled environment. I think we'll all be joining the women for some drinks tonight._ If Tseng's hunch was correct, and Cloud really did break up with Tifa, then Reno going after Tifa… Well, he wasn't quite sure what kind of publicity that might bring to the company. He just didn't want any more trouble.

* * *

Tifa was waiting at a table in Bar del Sol. She didn't have to wait long before the Turks strolled in, still wearing their uniforms. Feeling slightly out of place in her pink tank top and beige shorts, she nervously played with her ponytail. It was warm tonight, and she needed her hair up off her neck. As the group neared the table, a young good-looking man approached Tifa with a drink and a smile. Before he could get any words out, Rude strode in front of him and shook his head menacingly.

"Get lost guy." Reno glared at the guy as he took the seat furthest away from Tifa. Not wanting a confrontation, the man left muttering.

"Hi! Glad everyone could make it." Tifa greeted the group. Elena took the seat next to Tifa with Tseng situating himself on Elena's other side while Rude placed himself between Reno and Tifa. Tifa noticed Reno seemed out-of-humor. He ordered his drink from the waitress and fell silent. _Maybe he had a bad day_. She mused. "Thanks for coming out to celebrate my last night here."

"Last night?" Reno seemed to come out of his shell a little bit.

"Yep. It's back to the real world for me. I'm taking the boat back tomorrow morning."

The conversation stopped as the waitress brought everyone's drinks but then resumed after a few moments. Everybody except Reno seemed to be enjoying themselves. Reno kept glancing over at the man who approached Tifa, throwing him dirty looks on occasion. He sat, drinking his beer, and watched Tifa as she made polite conversation with those around her. He became more agitated as the night wore on.

"What's the matter Reno? You've been quiet all evening." Tifa smiled. She hoped to draw him out a bit. She wasn't used to seeing this side of Reno and was getting a little concerned.

"Nothing Lockhart." Reno's short answer took Tifa by surprise. "Don't worry about it." He scowled as he took another swig of beer and slammed the empty bottle down." He signaled the waitress to bring another, which she brought hastily.

Tifa's eyes narrowed a bit. "No need to be so touchy. I just wanted to see if you were alright." She could tell Reno was irritated, but she didn't like the cold tone which he addressed her with. At the same time, however, it bothered her to see him in such a state; his words were hurtful.

He rounded on her. "I'm not TOUCHY!" Even Rude couldn't ignore his friend's behavior now.

"Reno. Maybe you should stop." All the Turks shifted their attention to Reno.

But Reno had no intention of stopping. "I'll stop when I feel like it." He stated and took another sip.

Tifa had enough. She was tired of angry men bringing her down. Her temper flared. "Don't be such a jerk! If you don't want to be here then _leave_! I certainly don't need you around to have fun."

Reno abruptly stood up. "So I hear!" All eyes in the room seemed to be riveted on the fiery red-head and frustrated brunette.

"What's that mean?" Tifa demanded and stood up to face him directly. The situation was quickly escalating. Tseng motioned for the other Turks to remain still. He wanted to observe the exchange between Reno and Tifa; he might learn something.

"Don't play innocent! I heard about your _lunch_!" Reno wasn't sure what possessed him to utter those words. All he could picture was Tifa laughing and flirting with some mystery man. _Probably that loser who was trying to talk to her when we arrived._ Inside, Reno's heart ached as if it was being stabbed over and over. He unconsciously clutched his shirt over his heart.

Tifa was really confused now. "What are you talking about? Who cares about lunch?" Neither Tifa nor Reno saw Elena's face turn red and look down as if ashamed. Elena seemed to be the only one who knew what was going on. Tseng and Rude looked just as confused as Tifa.

"I guess now that Strife's out of the picture you feel free to do whatever you want…" His throat had tightened, making it hard to get out the words. "Probably never occurred to you-" His voice faltered now. _Damn it!_ It was getting harder for Reno to deny what he was feeling inside. He could actually put a name to it now. "Forget it. Have a good life." He left the bar and started walking aimlessly outside. _God! What am I doing? I love her._ The thought hit him hard, and he felt out of breath._ When did I get caught up like that?_ He stopped and looked around. Nobody would bother him here. Lost in his feelings, he didn't hear the footsteps coming up behind him.

* * *

Tifa was dumbfounded as she watched Reno storm out of the room. _It doesn't make any sense… What's he talking about? _She looked around at the other Turks who were completely speechless. Elena was too scared to speak up, so she kept her head down. _What does he mean 'have a good life'?_ Tifa didn't like the sound of that. She rushed out of the bar in search for Reno. _He has to be around here somewhere…_ She went by the beach first, but it looked deserted. She ran to the villa after that, but he wasn't there either. _Maybe…_ she took off to the port where the ships were docked. _Bingo!_

Reno was leaning on his side against a stack of crates, his head hanging. Tifa came up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder. He whipped around to see Tifa standing with her hands on her hips and head tilted to one side.

"You don't actually think I'm gonna let you walk out on me and write me off do you? Especially when I don't know what you're talking about."

Reno sighed heavily. "I know about… them."

"Who?"

"It's none of my business. I know. But… I don't think we can be friends anymore. I won't be able to take it. I'm starting to get mad again just thinking about it." His fists clenched as another sharp pain tore though his heart.

"Please… speak… English." Tifa was trying to be patient, but there was a growing fear that she was about to lose someone again. "I'm not following you at all." She reached out and touched his arm. "Please… don't say things like you can't be my friend anymore. I-I'm not sure I could take that right now." Tifa's heart throbbed violently.

Why was she insisting on tormenting him? The touch of her hand was painful. "Your lunch date with those guys today… You and Elena…" He couldn't finish. _Damn! Is this what love feels like?_ He wondered. _I don't want any part of this._ Reno felt utterly rejected, a feeling he wasn't used to at all.

"Reno." She spoke softly. "I never had lunch with anybody today. I went back to the inn and ate alone. You can ask the inn keeper." She gazed directly into his aquamarine eyes. _He's so full of pain!_ That thought alone almost broke her heart. She stared at the ground and let her hand drop from Reno's arm.

Reno's heart skipped a beat. "Really? You're not just saying that?"

Tifa shook her head. "No. Why would I lie?"

Reno was elated. A smile spread across his face. He hadn't felt this happy in a long time; it was like he was a different person. He felt the old Reno coming back. _Elena-you little liar! You'll get yours... Oh man! Is that what it feels like to be Cloud? Yuck! _Pushing those thoughts aside, he grabbed both of Tifa's hands in his. "Babe. You've just made me a happy man."

"Why does that make you happy?" Tifa was still concerned and baffled at Reno's rapid mood swings.

_Oh no!_ Reno was aware he wasn't out of the clear yet. "Um…" He was at a loss as to how to explain what happened. _Should I tell her how I feel?_ He thought back over the past few months. _There's definitely an attraction, but he also felt deep down that they had made a deeper connection. _He looked intently in to her eyes. "Well, you see…" He was fidgeting with her fingers now. Heart pounding, he decided to take a chance. "I've just realized lately that… ummm… I think I…" _This isn't going well…So much for being a ladies man!_ "…ah hell!" Reno gave up attempting to explain his feelings. He couldn't help himself anymore. Giving in to his desire, he tugged Tifa forward, pulling her into his embrace, and lowered his lips onto hers.

Tifa felt his lips touch gently across hers before he deepened the kiss. Her arms found their way around his neck as she passionately kissed him back. An overwhelming sensation she couldn't name flowed through her. She moaned quietly and leaned into his body, all thoughts scattered.

Passion ignited, Reno gripped her tightly. His hands found her silky hair. He ran his fingers through her long tresses, delighting at the feel as he undid her ponytail. He slowly pulled his head back and buried his face in her dark locks. "I love you Tifa Lockhart."

Breathing hard from the kiss, she tried to calm herself, but her heart felt like it was racing 100 miles an hour, and she was light-headed. "Reno…" She wasn't sure what she wanted to say.

"Sssshhhh. It's ok. You don't have to say anything." He didn't want to let go of her. "I had to tell you. I can't stand the thought of any other man touching you. That's why I was mad earlier." He inhaled the scent of her hair. "You smell good babe." The jasmine scent lingered in his nostrils.

Tifa didn't know how long she remained in Reno's arms, but it seemed only too soon when he suggested that he walk her back to her room. Her mind raced for answers as they slowly trekked to the inn. The kiss made her happy, but she didn't know if she was mentally prepared to take another leap right away though the thought of life without

Reno was rather painful. _When did he become so essential to my happiness?_ She remembered how despondent she'd been when Cloud and Reno had their altercation and how she had been out of sorts until she met up with Reno again. They slowed to a stop when they approached the steps to the entrance of the inn.

"You're awfully quiet babe." _Maybe I said too much too soon_. The small fear planted itself in his mind.

"I've been doing some thinking." She smiled up at him. "I'm not sure about what I'm about to say." She paused before continuing. "But… I think I really care for you Reno. And…"

"Say no more babe. If you're ok with it, we'll go slow. Real slow. Whatever you're comfortable with. Just tell me we have a chance."

Spontaneously, she wrapped her arms around Reno and drew him close, surprising even herself. Her eyes took in his handsome face, and her heart melted. Tifa wanted happiness. She was pretty positive that Reno could satisfy that need. She indulged her desire and kissed him, parting his lips and exploring his mouth with her tongue.

Reno practically crushed Tifa in his grip as he hugged her close, her feet leaving the ground. The passion he just got under control sprang forth again. He knew he had to be careful, or he might get too swept up in the flurry of emotions. He didn't want to push Tifa too fast. "Tifa." He gasped her name and gently unhooked her arms.

Tifa's breaths came rapidly. She smiled as she said, "I think I'm ready to try something new and exciting and oh so satisfying." She felt the overpowering urge to wrap herself around Reno again. _I could lose myself in him._ Somehow, she composed herself enough to take a few steps back. "Will you see me off tomorrow?"

"Wouldn't miss it. What time you leave?" It was hard for Reno to control himself. He longed to sweep Tifa into his arms and carry her inside. _Easy now…_ He had to warn himself.

"Ten." She cracked open the door. Tifa knew she had to remove herself from temptation. "Don't be late."

Reno watched Tifa disappear inside. He felt like shouting out loud. His stomach was filled with butterflies. He laughed at the night sky. Nothing could take this feeling of ecstasy away from him.

* * *

Reno met Tifa at the loading dock the next morning. He was tired because Rude refused to let him go to sleep without hearing his story. After all, both Tifa and Reno left, meaning Rude had to cover their part of the bar tab. Therefore, Rude felt entitled to know what happened.

"I'll miss you babe." He buried his face in her hair. The faint smell of her jasmine- scented hair had teased him all night. "I'll be back in another week." _Too long._ A voice inside his head complained. He sighed softly.

She lightly kissed his cheek and separated herself from him as the boat blew the whistle for the last time for boarding passengers. "You better be." She quickly boarded the ship and went to the deck to wave good-bye to Reno. Tifa frowned as she saw an angry blond man in a long white coat grab Reno on his arm.

"**RENO!**" Reno spun around to see an angry Rufus. Behind him was an angry woman. An angry blond woman. Reno cursed himself for forgetting.

"-stand me up! You think you're all high and mighty and can do whatever you want? Who's this girl?" The blond yelled brandishing a newspaper in Rufus' face.

"Reno!" Rufus yelled at him again. "What is the meaning of this?" He pointed back at the crazy screaming woman.

"Uh… I don't know boss." He lied, trying to cover his butt. "What's-" His went numb as he looked at the picture on the newspaper. Snatching the paper from the blond, he spun around and ran closer to the boat. "Tifa! Tifa!" Tifa looked down at Reno's summon. "What the _hell_ is this?" He yelled at her.

Tifa squinted her eyes to see the picture. _What is that? Oh my God!_ She stared at the picture and started laughing. In bold type on the front page was the question: **IS THIS LOVE?** Underneath the large letters was a picture of Tifa in the arms of Rufus.

* * *

A/N: So... I know this chapter was twice as long as the others, but I couldn't bring myself to break it up. Let me know what you think! 


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Hi peeps! Sorry for the long delay, but a lot has been going on to keep me super busy. As before, I do not own Final Fantasy or any of their characters though I will always and forever wish I did... Hope you enjoy...

Chapter 5

Tifa stood outside the steps leading up to her bar, nervous but happy. Sure she had concerns to deal with, but she was happy to be home. She missed the kids and Seventh Heaven. It was a few hours before opening, and she wanted to get settled before stepping back into her role. Taking a deep breath, she climbed the stairs and opened the front door.

"Finally!" Cheryl ran out from behind the bar to embrace Tifa in a huge hug. She dragged her over to the bar and continued on rapidly, "How was vacation? And what's been going on? I went shopping this morning and what do I see? This! Spill it!" Cheryl blurted everything out so fast that it took a moment for it to register to Tifa.

Tifa looked at the newspaper. It was the same one Reno had been clutching in his hand when she left. "Hold on Cheryl. This is going to take some time to explain."

"Where's Cloud?" Cheryl finally realized that he was missing.

Tifa sighed. "Like I said. This is going to take some time to explain. Let me get settled. First, I want to hear about how things were here." The phone rang and Cheryl jumped to answer it.

"I told you she's not here yet! Quit calling or I won't tell her you called… I don't care if it's urgent… Yes! I have your number memorized now. You've only called like 15 times in the last few hours… Calm down!" Cheryl was scowling at the phone. "I promise to tell her to call you as soon as she gets in. Now good-bye." The phone was slammed down with finality.

"Who was that?"

"Reno. He wants you to call him immediately. Something about needing to know what was going on, and that he wasn't on speaking terms with someone…But don't you even _think_ of calling him before you tell me what's going on." She demanded.

Tifa laughed, wondering why Reno hadn't called her on her mobile, but then she remembered she never gave him the number. "I'm going upstairs to put my bag away. I'll be back down shortly." Slowly, Tifa climbed the stairs, apprehension in every step. She opened the door to her and Cloud's bedroom. Whatever she was expecting to feel—sadness, depression, or anger— never came. She looked around at all of Cloud's belongings and felt… nothing. A smile crept across her face. Tifa wasn't sure if she was just numb or if she was really ok with Cloud's absence, but she wasn't going to question it too much. Tossing her bag on the bed, she took one last look around and went downstairs.

"Please don't keep me in suspense!" Cheryl pleaded. At that moment the door opened and a young attractive man stepped through the door.

"Hi Tifa. Welcome back!" His long brown hair was tied back in a ponytail and he was dressed in a tight black tank top and grey cargo pants. "How was your vacation?"

"Hello Victor." She met the young man's sparkling brown eyes. "It was good. Thanks for asking."

"You still want me to fill in now that you're back?" The young man sounded hopeful.

Tifa contemplated his question. _It would be nice to take a day to relax before getting back into my routine. Besides, I know Victor would actually like to work here. He's been begging for months, and his drinks aren't half bad either._ "Sure. Come back closer to opening. We've got the prep." Victor nodded and left. "How was everything?" Tifa turned back to Cheryl and reached behind the bar and grabbed two glasses, filling them with soda. As Cheryl recounted her week, Tifa could tell that she was trying to rush through her report. Cheryl was always a bit impatient, and she really wanted to know what was going on with Tifa.

A ringing phone broke into their conversation.

"I'll get it." If Cheryl was right, Tifa knew who it would be. "Seventh Heaven." Tifa answered the phone with a smile; her heart beat faster.

"Tifa! Thank god you're there. I've been trying to get a hold of you. Didn't that waitress chick tell you?" Tifa could hear the irritation in his voice.

"Yes she did. But I just walked in the door." She winked at Cheryl. "What's this emergency?" She asked him even though she knew exactly what he was referring to.

"…You don't know huh? I find it hard to believe that you've forgotten about the newspaper." He replied dryly. Reno wanted answers. He sounded like he was pouting, so Tifa couldn't help but tease him a bit.

"I know. It's a really good picture isn't it? The detail is so sharp. Rufus looks good."

Reno groaned. "Please don't do this to me."

"You're a silly man Reno. Tifa giggled. Do you honestly believe that rubbish? I mean, it's just gossip."

"It's the not the wild theories inside the article about how you two came to be that have me worried. It's the position you two are in on the cover that I don't like."

"Hhhhmmmm. It does look like we're pretty cozy huh?" she looked at the picture. From the picture's vantage point, it looked like Rufus and Tifa were embracing and about to kiss.

"Tifa, don't play with me." His voice was serious. "Did Rufus put the moves on you?"

Tifa almost laughed out loud; Reno was so endearing. "No Reno."

"I can hear the smile in your voice Lockhart. You're enjoying this aren't you?" His voice was slightly accusing.

"Maybe." She let out another giggle. _Wow!_ She couldn't remember the last time she felt this giddy, particularly over another person. "I went to the villa to find you, but Tseng was there. I tripped when I was leaving and fell into Rufus." She waited for his response, which was a little delayed.

"Oh. Is that what happened?" He sounded kind of sheepish. She could picture him now, hand on head and smiling. She longed to run her fingers through his hair.

"Yes… Why didn't you ask Rufus?" Tifa glanced at Cheryl. She was listening intently with a smile on her face.

"Well… um… we're not exactly on speaking terms right now… I don't want to speak to him." Tifa laughed at Reno's admission. "Actually, I did ask him, but that jerk just smiled and turned away from me. I think he's still pissed at me over that blond woman I set him up with. He's not really talking to me right now either."

Tifa snorted into the phone. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Oh I can think of plenty of things you could do." Tifa's face flushed at Reno's suggestive tone. "But that'll have to wait until I get back."

"I can hardly wait." Tifa responded. She briefly wondered if she was allowing herself to fall too fast for Reno. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt him because she was carrying too much emotional baggage.

After Tifa and Reno said their good-byes, Cheryl pounced on Tifa. "Spill. Everything. Now." There was no more stalling. When Cheryl wanted something, she expected to get it. She could be a bit of a pain that way. She listened intently as Tifa recounted her vacation: the wonderful beginning, Cloud's departure, Reno's support, her decision to stay and live life instead of resigning herself to misery. She did, however, leave out the details of the kiss. _Some things aren't meant to be shared. _After a minute of silence, Cheryl hugged Tifa tightly. "I knew you'd be better off without Cloud."

"Yes, but that brings me to another interesting circumstance. You see, with Cloud gone, I was thinking of hiring Victor on to help relieve some of my burden. We'll need some more help around here; he can bartend and bounce part-time." Tifa knew she'd be stretching her income to hire on another employee. _But hey! Even the boss needs a break every now and then_.

"Cool." Cheryl smiled. "He's actually a pretty good bartender." She looked slyly at Tifa. "So when is Reno coming back?" Greedy for all the information she could get, she wasn't going to let this drop so easily.

"I think sometime next week. I'm not sure the exact day." Tifa looked around the room. She really did miss the bar. Yet more than the bar, she missed the sound of little feet racing through the house. She was glad that the children were coming back tomorrow. A brief sadness overcame her as she thought of the disappointment Cloud's decision would cause Denzel and Marlene. _I'll worry about that when tomorrow comes. One day at a time Lockhart. _

"Well. If he's on the same schedule as Rude, then he'll be back next Saturday around two." Cheryl beamed as her face turned a furious shade of red.

"How do you know that?" Tifa asked, her curiosity aroused.

Cheryl smiled devilishly. "I called Rude." As Tifa's eyes bulged, Cheryl continued. "We've talked a few times on the phone. He gave me his number in case I ever needed an escort home again…I was hoping to get some time off on Saturday afternoon."

"Really? I'm impressed Cheryl."

"I agree. Cheryl is impressive." Victor's languid drawl came from across the room. "And so are you." He made his way over to the bar and sat on the stool next to Tifa.

"Hey Victor." Tifa greeted the man and mentally switched gear. "You know, I was wondering if you'd like to work here permanently." Tifa waited for the smile to appear on Victor's face before she issued her condition. "But I'm still not quite sure. So here's the deal. I'll be here tonight to watch you and see how things go. If I like you, then I may consider hiring you." She wanted to make sure Victor was going to fit in before she made her final decision.

Victor looked thrilled. "Thanks Tifa! I really need the job." He gazed at Cheryl before letting his eyes return to Tifa. "I won't be a problem. I swear." He flashed a rather dashing smile. It made Tifa nervous, for it reminded her strongly of a certain mischievous red-head.

_I can almost smell the trouble brewing._ Tifa pushed the thought back. She had another task to attend to—packing up all of Cloud's possessions.

* * *

The night went smoothly, so Tifa decided to hire on Victor as a part-time bartender and bouncer. In the morning, she spent her time tidying up the house. Time slowly trudged along, for she was impatient because she wanted to see the children so badly. Every few minutes she'd walk by the large window near the door to see if Barrett's truck was pulling up. She felt herself going stir crazy. "I've got to stop this!" She announced to no one in particular. Her excitement was mixed with nervousness. She still wasn't sure how she was going to handle Cloud's absence. She suddenly wished Reno was here, so she could vent some of her anxieties. A couple of hours later, Tifa could hear the sound of running feet and laughter coming from behind the front door. 

"Hey Tifa!" A booming voice called out. "We're here." A large black man appeared in the doorway with a pretty little girl on his shoulder.

"Barrett! Marlene!" Tifa ran forward and scooped Marlene off Barrett's shoulder in a tight hug. Denzel ran forward and wrapped his arms around Tifa's waist. "Denzel! Oh I've missed you guys so much!" Tifa almost felt complete—her kids were back. Even though Tifa wasn't their biological mother, she loved the orphans as if they were her very own.

"Tifa! It was so fun! I wish you and Cloud could've been there with us." Denzel gazed affectionately up at his "mother."

"You'll have to tell me all about it. Why don't you two take your things upstairs first?" Tifa suggested and the children complied eagerly.

Barrett embraced Tifa in a bone crushing hug. "How's my favorite couple? Where's Spiky at?" He glanced around the room.

Tifa took a deep breath before answering. "He's gone, and I'm not sure if he's ever coming back."

"What? The hell you say!" Barrett smashed his metal fist into the palm of his other hand. "Where'd that boy go? Somebody gotta talk some sense into him." He growled.

"I'm not sure." Tifa shrugged her shoulders. "And frankly, I'm not going to worry about it anymore. Barrett, I'm tired of waiting around for something that isn't going to happen. I want happiness. I want a family." She paused, gauging his reaction before she continued. "I've given up on Cloud. He can't give me what I need. I can't base my life on lies and hope they come true."

Barrett remained silent, but he understood. Tifa and Cloud had been through a lot; he just wished it could've worked out. Tifa was exactly what Cloud needed in a woman if he could just allow himself to be happy. "Whatever makes you happy Tif. But if you need anything, you know how to get a hold of me."

"Thanks Barrett." Tifa was grateful for his understanding.

"Cloud! Cloud!" Denzel ran downstairs. "Where's Cloud?" He asked Tifa.

"That's something I need to talk to you and Marlene about. Can you get Marlene and come back downstairs?" Denzel frowned but was back within a couple of minutes with Marlene in tow. Barrett silently stood by Tifa. "Ok… Well, I'm not sure how to put this exactly, but something happened with Cloud, and he had to go."

"When's he coming back?" Marlene asked. "Will he be gone long?"

"I'm not sure Cloud is coming back. You see, it's not that Cloud doesn't love you two…" Tifa wanted to make sure the children didn't think they were the cause of their problems or that Cloud didn't love them. "He and I… well… sometimes when things don't work between people, they have to be apart. I'm really sorry." She hated the pained look in their eyes.

"Cloud's always leaving us! He promised he wouldn't leave anymore." Denzel shouted, his eyes mirroring his inner hurt. Marlene looked like she was about to cry.

Tifa scooped the kids in her arms. "Cloud loves you both very much, but he's going through some stuff right now that he needs to take care of on his own. I know it's hard to understand, but we're going to be ok." She released them and looked at both kids with a warm smile, hoping she sounded more optimistic than she felt.

"Listen to your mama. She needs your help now." He turned to Denzel. "You the man of the house now." He clapped his large hand onto Denzel's young shoulder. "I'm depending on you." Denzel responded with a terse nod. He took Barrett's request seriously. "Now come give me a hug. I gotta get back to the oil fields." Marlene and Denzel ran into Barrett's open embrace.

"Take care." Tifa smiled at Barrett as he walked out the front door. She turned to the children and asked, "So what do you want to do now?"

* * *

The following week progressed too slowly for Tifa. Denzel and Marlene were still moody from Cloud's desertion. Denzel was acting distant towards Tifa. _Maybe he thinks it's my fault…_Marlene couldn't be cheered up either, but at least she was still trying to play with Denzel. Hopefully that was a good sign. The nightly phone calls with Reno were the bright spots of Tifa's week. She always felt better after talking to him, for he was not only a great listener, but he was constantly making her laugh. Finally, she also finished packing the last of Cloud's possessions, so she stored them in the basement. Tifa couldn't bring herself to get rid of them. _We've been through so much. He may have hurt me, but he'll always have my friendship. I wonder if he'll ever come back… _

Patience was never one of Reno's strong points. He sat in the car next to Rude as Elena drove everyone back from Junon. They were almost to Edge, and the closer they got, the more impatient Reno became.

"Chill out." Rude told his partner. His fidgeting was getting on his nerves.

"I just want to get back. I got somewhere I need to go." He stared out the window, trying to ignore Tseng and Rufus' conversation in the back seat.

"Are you sure?" Tseng asked him again. Maybe he had heard wrong, but Rufus only smiled and shook his head.

"We need to go there immediately. This is too good to pass up. _This_ could change everything!" Rufus was determined, and nothing was going to change his mind. _Of all the luck! I can't let an opportunity like this slip through my fingers._ He immediately made some hurried phone calls.

"Elena." Tseng's voice cut through all conversations in the car. "Change of course. I'll enter the new coordinates in the GPS."

Reno was barely paying attention. All he wanted to see was the outside of Seventh Heaven with a beautiful brunette standing in the doorway waiting for him. _My brunette._ He thought possessively. _My brunette with the soft lips and jasmine hair._ Buildings sped by, but Reno still wasn't paying attention until he noticed the car slowing and a familiar big sign over the front of his favorite bar come into view. He looked at Rude questioningly, yet his friend just returned the look.

"Um… What's going on boss?" He twisted in his seat; however, Rufus and Tseng were already exiting the car and making their way up to the door. He saw Tseng go in while Rufus waited nonchalantly out front. For some inexplicable reason, he couldn't move from his seat. A minute later, Tifa appeared, looking a little confused.

* * *

Tifa was surprised by the appearance of Tseng. She was even more surprised at his request to meet Rufus outside, but she complied. _Maybe Reno is with them._ A tremor of excitement ran through her. As she stepped outside, Rufus brought his arms up and lightly grasped Tifa's arms, drawing her close. 

"Tifa. I heard what happened with Cloud, and I just want to say that I'm sorry. If you need anything at all, please let me know." Before Tifa could reply, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead.

Tifa was too shocked to do anything but stand there with her mouth open. She experienced déjà vu again when she was blinded by another light. When she finally came to her senses, Rufus was already leaving and a struggling Reno was being restrained by Rude.

* * *

A/N: Well, let me know what you think! Too slow? Too boring? Too good? (Ha! I wish!) No, seriously, please review and let me know what you think. It's the only way I can possibly know how I'm doing and where I need to improve. Thanks! 


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Note: Sorry for the long delay! Taking lots of literature classes can pretty much suck up all your free time. Please enjoy the next chapter!

Chapter 6

Rude knew he was lucky. He was just able to grab Reno before his friend pursued a course of action which he might regret later. He was just as surprised as Reno, but he wasn't about to let his best friend get into serious trouble until he could figure out what was going on.

"Let go Rude! I'm gonna kill that son of a-" The red-haired Turk struggled against the bigger man. But his attention quickly turned back to Tifa and Rufus as a loud smack reverberated in the air.

"Don't do anything stupid." Rude advised.

Rufus paused, stumbling near the two Turks. "Stay here and keep an eye on things. Tseng will give you further instructions later." Though his cheek throbbed from the powerful blow, he couldn't resist smiling. Reno finally freed up one of his arms. Rufus stepped back just out of reach as he felt the Turk's fist sail by him. Choosing to ignore the incident, Rufus hurried to the car. He hadn't felt this exhilerated in months.

"Sir." Rude responded tersely for the both of them. Reno was so angry. Only a strangled sound issued from his throat while he continued to struggle to free himself from Rude. His fingers itched for his EMR which, thanks to Rude's iron-grip, was just out of reach.

"Reno." Tseng called out. "Stay here. I'll find out what's going on." His eyes flickered over to Tifa's still form before returning to the bristling red-head. Tseng then turned his back on them and issued sharp commands to Elena, snapping her out of her own shock.

"Let me go." Reno commanded as they watched the car pull away. He straightened his suit as his gaze turned to Tifa's rigid form. Quickly, he sprinted up the stairs and hugged her in his arms.

"What was that?" Tifa's soft voice sounded against his chest. The feel of Reno's strong arms assured her she was not having some deranged dream. Anger began rising inside her.

Reno gripped her tighter. "I swear to you that I won't let him get away with that." _Damn you Rufus! _It was one thing to worry about Cloud; it was quite another to have to worry about your boss going after your girl.

"It won't happen again." Reno could hear the hardness in her voice. Tifa pulled away from him and glared in the direction Rufus had escaped. "Why don't you two come in and have a drink? My treat." She disappeared inside hoping no one saw the incident with Rufus. She felt she could use a strong drink as well.

"Tifa! Where've ya been?" Victor shouted over to her. "Without Cheryl here I'm lost!" Tifa managed to crack a tiny smile. _He's so dramatic!_

"I'm back." She tried to shake off the feeling of Rufus holding her. _What was that? Some random drive-by kiss? _She approached the bar and picked up the drinks some of her patrons were waiting for before coming to the Turk's table. "What'll it be boys?" She smiled trying to lighten the mood, but she couldn't shake her feelings of uneasiness. _Why would Rufus do something like that? _They never had that type of relationship regardless of what the gossip papers were starting to report.

"A beer." Rude ordered.

"Your usual?" Tifa asked, but she already knew his answer. He nodded in response, and she turned to Reno.

"Something hard. Make it strong." Reno still couldn't believe what he'd seen. He still felt agitated. _Maybe a few drinks will calm me down._ He just wanted to relax and enjoy the evening with Tifa and Rude. He'd think of a suitable retribution for Rufus later.

"I'll let the bartender make something special for you." _...and maybe for me too. _She added mentally. Tifa wrote something down on her tab. "I'll be right back."

Reno kicked violently at a chair, knocking it over. "Tseng better hurry up and find out what the fuck is going on." Patience was not one of Reno's strong points. His left leg was bouncing a mile a minute, and his eyes continually swept the room, searching for... something. He didn't know what he was looking for, but he'd know when he found it.

"He will." Rude glanced at his watch and sighed. He looked up at the bar. "Who's that guy behind the bar?"

Reno stared at the brown-haired man mixing drinks and frowned. "I don't know. Wait... Why is Tifa waitressing?" He wondered aloud. His mind raced for answers, but he couldn't focus. It was mid-afternoon; the bar was still kind of slow. Then he remembered a conversation he and Tifa had earlier in the week. "Oh yeah... he's some new guy she hired to help out part-time." With a glance, Reno appraised the guy. _Not a threat, at least, not to me..._

Tifa returned with the drinks and sat down after she righted the chair Reno had overturned. Crossing her legs, she smiled at Reno and placed her right hand on the table. A sudden thought occurred to her. Tifa's head turned quickly in Rude's direction. "Rude! Oh no! You're not supposed to be here."

"I know. But it's orders." He replied calmly, hoping she would drop the subject before Reno interjected.

"Where are you supposed to be?" Reno inquired, his curiosity peaked.

"No where." Rude's face took on a slight blush.

"You should call her. I gave her the _entire_ day off for this." Tifa hoped Cheryl wouldn't be too upset at the delay.

Rude felt uncomfortable discussing his personal matters with anyone. He nodded his head in agreement. "I will."

"Rude-you dog! Did you have a date?" Reno momentarily forgot about his problems. He slapped his friend on the shoulder. "Way to go man. You should go partner. I'll cover for you."

"We'll wait..." Rude had no intention of leaving his friend when he might need him.

Reno knew he wasn't going to be able to change his mind. "Your call." His hand slid across the table and grabbed Tifa's. "Speaking of dates... You wanna go somewhere Lockhart?" He suggested to her charmingly, kissing the back of her hand tenderly.

With arched eyebrows, Tifa pulled her hand away. "'Wanna go somewhere?'... You're going to have to do better than that Reno if you want a date with me." She teased and then continued, "A lot better." She turned away, a small smile on her lips, a seductive sway with her hips, and went back to work.

* * *

It was the second time today Tseng thought he needed his ears checked. "I'm sorry sir. What do we need to do?" They were up in Rufus' office in the new Shinra Company building. He just sent Elena away to get ready for dinner later.

Rufus didn't mind repeating his plan again. "We need to set up some meeting places with Tifa Lockhart. I have some specific areas in mind. The first one will be at The Golden Cactuar-the new high scale restaurant."

"But... why sir?" Tseng interrupted. He rarely ever questioned Rufus, but he needed to know what was going on. Rufus handed him a report, which he quickly skimmed over. "A popularity poll?"

"Yes." Rufus beamed; his smile was huge, and he was practically glowing with excitement. "Since the picture came out in the news, my popularity- Shinra's, has increased. She softens my image with the public. This could bode extremely well for the company and shift support from anti-Shinra groups."

Tseng could feel the excitement emanate from his boss. "You want to have a relationship with Tifa Lockhart to boost your image?" Disbelief and a small sense of dread washed over Tseng. He could feel the imminent threat of a disaster approaching, with a furious red-head at the center of it.

* * *

If Tifa wanted to play hard to get, Reno was definitely up for it. Smirking, he collected his thoughts. He absolutely loved a challenge. _Where can I take her? _His mind raced for ideas. _Someplace special... No ordinary place will do for Tifa._

Rude interrupted his musings as he kicked Reno under the table. "Look." He nodded toward the bar.

Reno's eyes whipped over to the counter. Without hesitating a second, he abruptly stood up, grabbed his drink, and made a beeline with Rude to the bar. It was still early evening, so the bar wasn't crowded yet. Reno and Rude took seats right in front of Victor. "You're new." Reno quipped.

"Yep." Victor turned his back on them, instead, focusing on the task at hand.

"Then you should probably know that you have two seconds to stop what you're doing." The remark sounded casual, but the threat was extremely real. Reno's anger returned full force. At last, he had an outlet for his temper.

Victor scoffed at the red-headed man and ignored him. "You got that box Tifa?" His hands clutched her waist as she stretched on a chair to reach up into the cupboard against the back wall. Panic seized him as his head suddenly snapped back; he was having problems breathing. Immediately he let go of Tifa; his hands shooting towards his aching throat.

Stretched over the counter, Reno had grabbed the man by his long hair with one hand and gripped his throat tightly with his other hand. The indignation he felt earlier returned and served only to fuel his fire. Reno's breathing became labored as if he had run a long distance and felt bile rising in his throat. He finally found what he was looking for earlier-a fight. He slowly increased the pressure on Victor's throat until the bartender released Tifa.

"ACK!" Tifa fell with a hard thud onto the floor. She winced as she gingerly stood up, her back end extremely sore. "Reno! What are you doing!? Let him go." She commanded harshly.

The fiery Turk dropped back down on his stool while watching Victor gently rub his sore throat. "I was thinking he needs to keep his hands to _himself_." He couldn't do anything about Rufus at the moment, but he certainly could make sure this jerk knew his place.

Tifa's eyes narrowed. "This is NOT going to be a problem Reno, is it? Victor works here. He needs to be able to do his job and help me when I need it." _What is his problem?_

"I didn't know putting his hands on you was part of his job description. If I'd known that, I would've applied for a job here long ago and saved myself the hassle of having to 'take things slowly.'" He fired back at Tifa. Reno was so furious he ignored his inner warning alarm cautioning him to back off. He didn't even realize that he crossed a line.

The sound of a loud slap silenced the bar. "Get out!" Tifa's hand ached, but she didn't care at the moment. Reno's hand slowly caressed the side of his face as he looked at the angry woman. "I said GET OUT!" She moved quickly from behind the bar. Both Turks could feel the fury radiate from her, which was mirrored in her flashing red eyes. "I am sick and tired of men trying to drive me crazy. I don't need this right now!" Frazzled, Tifa's fingers twitched as the urge to pull her hair out built up. "You, Rufus, Cloud... just leave me alone! How dare you come in here and insult me like this. I'm not one of your cheap floozies you usually date damn it! You have some nerve insinuating that I'm like them!" She couldn't believe him. "I thought you were different." Feelings of betrayal washed over her. _How could I have been so stupid?_

"You're throwing me out?" Reno couldn't quite get over the indignation he felt at Tifa's command. "You know what... fine. We don't want to be here anyways. The drinks are weak and the atmosphere _cold_." Pushing Tifa's buttons were his only goal now; he couldn't restrain his anger anymore. "Some _blond rich_ people may find this dump charming, but not this guy. Maybe you should call _him,_" he spat out. He knew that Tifa took a lot of pride in her bar. "Perhaps I'll find some better company elsewhere babe." Reno bolted up off the stool and marched out the door. Rude gave Tifa an apologetic shrug of his shoulders and quietly followed Reno out the door.

"You ok Tifa?" Victor croaked out, slouching on the bar.

"No Victor. I'm not."

* * *

Rude wondered where they were going. They seemed to be wandering aimlessly around the city. "She didn't deserve that." Reno remained silent. "Let's take you home."

"I don't want to go home." Reno replied tersely.

"What was that all about?" Rude inquired as they made their way through a rundown part of the neighborhood. Reno remained lost in thought and ignored his friend's question. Rude sighed. "Where are we going?"

Reno shrugged in response. "I don't know. I don't know where I'm going. I don't want to go anywhere." He kicked a stray rock along the side of the road. His temper was cooling, but he wasn't sure what to do about Tifa. _I was such an ass._ The strong urge to drink was building inside. Before he knew it, his feet had taken him to another bar; this one was very much run down when compared to a bar like Seventh Heaven. Most of the seats were cracked, the wood floor was uneven, and the painted blue walls had seen better days. Reno and Rude settled down on a booth and prepared for a long stay.

"Why?" Rude asked him after they got their drinks.

Reno took a long drink form his bottle. "Why what?" He was deliberately evading his friend's question. He scanned the room, trying to avoid looking at Rude.

"Don't play this game Reno. I want to know why you said what you did to her." Rude looked dead serious, and it was then that Reno remembered his conversation with his partner a few years ago in Wutai; it was there that Rude had actually confessed to Reno that he had feelings for Tifa. He briefly wondered if his friend still harbored any residual love for her. "I thought you were actually serious about her."

"I am." He looked sharply sideways at Rude who still hadn't moved since they sat down. "Look... I was angry alright? I'll make it up to her tomorrow when we've both calmed down."

Frowning, Rude shook his head and snorted. "Do you even realize what you said to her? She might not forgive you." Reno's face reflected his confusion, so Rude continued. "You know... you basically told her you were using her. Treated her as if she was another notch in your belt."

"What are you talking about? I was mad, ok? I know I insinuated something about Rufus and insulted her bar." Reno shrugged, trying to recall the argument. "I don't _really_ remember what I said _exactly_..." He replied to Rude's exasperated look.

_"'I didn't know getting to touch you was part of the job. If I'd known that, I would've applied here long ago and saved myself the hassle.'_" Rude repeated to Reno. "Sound familiar?"

"I-what!? I said that?" The conversation started playing back in his head at Rude's prompting. _Now I really feel like a jerk. _He set his drink down. He really didn't remember what he'd said; he was angry about Rufus, so he lashed out at Tifa. Witnessing yet another man putting his hands on her sent him over the edge. _She'll never forgive something like that. Why do I let me temper always get the best of me?_ Inside, hopelessness was beginning to creep through his body; he felt as if his soul was being crushed. Staring at his bottle, Reno became lost in dark thoughts. _It's over before it had a chance to start..._

An attractive woman suddenly appeared before the booth the Turks had chosen. She flipped her long blond hair over her shoulder, a haughty look on her face. "It's been awhile Reno." She sauntered over closer to the cracked green bench seat Reno occupied. "I've missed you."

Reno looked up nonchalantly into her face. "Not tonight sweetheart. Maybe some other time." He turned his head away, but her hand shot out and grabbed his chin, turning his face back towards her.

"Come on Reno." She was pouting now and bending forward. Her skimpy low-cut silk shirt didn't conceal much. "You look like you had a rough day. Let Helen take care of you." Reno could smell her perfume; it was overpowering. He took a good hard look at her then. _What do I see in her_? He noticed her artificiality-her hair, nails, body... Everything about her was fake from top to bottom, inside and out, and he suddenly found himself very disgusted. Yet Helen was one of his usuals, definitely part of his fan club he had acquired over the years; he could always count on her as a standby if his plans fell through. And then he realized. _There's only one girl I'm interested in._ He pushed Helen's hand away in irritation. _Damn it Tifa! _He cursed as he thought. _She's ruined me for other women._ For a self proclaimed ladies man, this was going to have serious repercussions for his love life. He just knew it. "I said I wasn't interested. Why don't you try somewhere else?" Reno had his focus back. He would win Tifa back. _I'm not giving up yet! I'll prove to her I can be faithful and dependable. _

But Helen wasn't used to being rejected, especially by Reno. Her eyes flashed dangerously, and before Reno knew what was happening, she threw herself on him and planted a fierce kiss on him. His arms shot out quickly as he tried to push her off. He barely registered Rude in the background jumping slightly in his seat.

* * *

"You should get some fresh air." Victor advised her a few hours later. "Seriously Tifa. I can watch the bar and check in on the kids every now and then. You need to get your mind off your problems." He noted her tired appearance and wondered what was going through her head. "Hey Tifa... um...I need to make a phone call. Is that ok?"

Tifa nodded and watched the bar for a few minutes. She never bothered getting up from her seat. She sat on a stool at the end of the bar, staring off into space. She felt like a fool. _Nothing like public humiliation to put things in perspective._ She mused. _How could I have fallen for that? It just felt...no...**we** felt so... real..._Reno had seemed so incredibly sincere with her. They had spent many evenings hanging out in Seventh Heaven-talking, laughing, and getting to know each other. Or so she had thought. She had grown to depend on his carefree attitude and engaging demeanor.

_"Hey Tifa! Want some help?" His bangs hung down in his eyes. His smile was disarming._

_"You don't have to do anything. But I wouldn't mind some company." Tifa was turning the chairs over onto the tables. Reno plopped onto one of the only seats still down._

_"Busy night." It wasn't a question. Reno had been there all evening and witnessed Tifa hopping back and forth behind her counter._

_"Mmhmm. But it's nice you know. People can come here and have a good time. Forget about their worries for awhile." _

_"How do you do it?" Reno frowned. "You're always so upbeat. Don't you ever feel...I don't know... annoyed?"_

_Tifa smiled wryly. "I was 'annoyed' when Shinra was trying to kill me."_

_Reno's head hung down, and he became abnormally quiet. "Tifa... About that." Tifa knew she had accidentally struck a nerve with him. _

_"Reno-"_

_"No. I really do want to talk about that." He interrupted her. "It was my job. At that point in my life, there was nothing but the job. It always came first." He became silent._

_"And now?" She gently prompted. She was standing next to his chair._

_"It's different." He fell silent again. Tifa reached out and touched his shoulder. He looked up into her red-wine eyes. "Sometimes I have nightmares-the screams. The anguish. Who knew pushing a button could-"_

_She wanted to say 'it's ok,' but it wasn't. Reno had tried to kill her and her friends by dropping the plate in Sector Seven, which had killed many people in the process. "I feel just as responsible." She squeezed his shoulder. "Avalanche has a lot of blood on their hands too." She smiled delicately at him. "The only thing to do is to try and make up for it as best you can. We may never feel like we can ever repair the damage of our actions. But we still need to try."_

_"Geez Lockhart. You sound like a public service announcement." The pain behind his eyes had disappeared, and Tifa knew his defense had kicked in. She knew he rarely let anyone see his inner self. Tifa let her hand drop away from him. "I better get going. See ya around Lockhart." The next morning, Tifa was pleasantly surprised by a single pink flower lying on her doorstep as she returned from her morning jog with Cloud. Smiling, she picked it up and smelled it. The light fragrance tickled her nose. She ignored Cloud's questioning stare. _

Tifa snapped back into the present. She hadn't thought about that night in a long time. _Well, my feelings are definitely real even if Reno's ..._ Tifa stared around the bar. Usually she could take solace in working behind the counter but not tonight. _Perhaps Victor is right. Maybe I do need to get out. Clear my head. _Deciding to take Victor up on his offer, she quickly escaped the bar after he made his call and went strolling down the streets of Edge in the cool, dark night.

Not really having a destination in mind, she wandered up and down the streets, winding her way to other parts of Edge and out of her own neighborhood. _What happened back there? Why did things have to go like that?_ Thoughts sped through her mind. _Why was he like that? I just don't get it. Was he just angry? _She turned a corner onto a new street. _Of course that doesn't excuse him from saying what he did._ She noticed a new clothing store and went to look at the display in the window. _Why do I care? He was such a jerk! But...I really liked him._ She moved on from the store window and continued to walk on. _Maybe I just attract jerks. _Tifa turned down yet another street. A vision of Reno appeared in her mind: his laughing eyes, his quirky smile. She had now stopped in front of another shop, only this one was a restaurant. She glanced at the menu posted outside the door. _Maybe I was too hasty. _The thought caught her off guard and she laughed bitterly out loud. _I must be a glutton for punishment. _She realized that she was going to give her and Reno another chance. _I have to know whether he's for real, or if he's playing me. I'll find him first thing tomorrow._ For some reason, she felt she couldn't let go. More significantly, she recognized that she didn't want to let him go even after his horrible comments to her earlier. _Our tempers were just flaring._

Tifa continued on her walk. A shop a few doors down actually had its lights on, and she could hear laughter and faint music coming from the doorway. She made her way over and looked casually through the big window in the front. _Another bar. Looks alright I guess. Not much going on with the décor. _She continued past the window but stopped dead in her tracks. _Did I just see that?_ She backed up slowly and paused in front of the window again. There, on display for the entire public to see, was Reno making out with a blond woman. Tifa's humiliation returned full force. _That jerk! Looks like I have my answer._ Her fist, as if moving of its own accord, started banging loudly on the window.

* * *

Rude was startled. Did he just see Tifa walk by the window? He watched as Reno successfully pushed Helen away, his arms still holding her back. Rude nervously adjusted his sunglasses. A sudden and violent pounding snapped his attention back to the window. _This is not his night._

Reno also looked over at the ruckus and paled. "Oh god no!" He shoved Helen forcefully away. "No Tifa!" He was rooted to the spot.

"You arrogant jerk!" She uncharacteristically screamed through the window and took off running. Reno wasted no time and sprinted after her, leaving Rude with the realization he was going to have to pay for Reno's drinks...again.

"Scuse us." Rude stood up and paid the barmaid. He looked back at Helen. "It's over." He turned his back on her and proceeded out the door. _Which way did they go?_ He didn't have to wonder long. Distinct shouting came floating around the corner. He headed in that direction making sure to maintain a discreet distance yet still be close enough should his assistance be required.

"I can't believe you! I can't believe **_me_**!" Tifa fumed. "I was actually thinking about giving you another chance." She was tracing her path back to Seventh Heaven.

"It's not what it looked like babe." Reno knew he must have wronged someone (_probably a woman_, he figured) very grievously in a past life. How else could he explain his rotten luck with Tifa? "I swear to you. She came on to me." He paused to catch his breath. _Running and drinking definitely don't mix. _"Hold on Tifa!" He was breathing heavily. "Can't you stop, so we can talk this out?"

Tifa ignored him.

_This is going to be a long night._ Rude sighed, continuing to keep his distance.

Reno finally caught up to Tifa. Grabbing her by the arms, he stopped her escape. "Tifa...let me...explain." His breathing was labored. He tried to pull her close to him, but she resisted and stood her ground. Circling around her, he gently placed his hands on her shoulders. "At least look at me Tifa." But she continued to stare at the ground.

"I don't think anything else needs to be said." Tifa was trying to hold back the tears. Rude could hear it in her voice. He felt awkward being a witness to their drama and took a few steps back. "You can see whoever you want to see Reno."

Rude's phone sounded. He took a few more steps away and answered it. "Yes?"

"Rude." It was Elena.

Reno was trying to gather his thoughts together. God knows he didn't want to mess up any more tonight. "I think you need to understand that sometimes my temper-"

"Reno." Rude sounded urgent. "We need to go. Shinra is under attack."

_Of all the..._ "Just a minute." Time was running out on Reno. He knew he may never have another chance to rectify the situation. "Tifa-"

"I'm sorry. But we need to go." Rude interrupted.

"Reno go!" Tifa urged. "We definitely need to talk. But not now. Now go!" Reno didn't hesitate. He and Rude started running back towards the direction of the temporary headquarters of the Shinra building. Just before he rounded the corner at the end of the street, he caught a quick glance of Tifa and smiled.

* * *

Tifa was all alone now. Feeling uneasy still, she started jogging back home. It was well past midnight. _Shinra under attack. This is serious. _She hoped the Turks would be alright. People still held a lot of resentment towards the company for the near destruction of the planet. Smoke was billowing in large patches into the sky. _Fire!_ She hoped no one was seriously injured. She picked up her pace. _Wait. That's not right. The Shinra building is the other way. _"Oh my god! The city is under attack!"

Tifa was sprinting now. Panic rising. She was a few streets away from Seventh Heaven. A large knot was forming in her stomach. _Where is everyone? Why is it quiet?_ Panic turned into dread. Frantic sounds were coming from around the corner. Tifa froze in her tracks. The scene that met her eyes was incredulous.

The city wasn't under attack. Seventh Heaven was burning. A large group of people were trying to put out the flames. Tifa's knees buckled and gave way beneath her. A man disengaged from the crowd and ran towards her.

"Tifa!" The man was furious. "Where are the children?"

Tifa looked up into his eyes. She didn't have an answer for Cloud.

* * *

A/N: So what do you think? Please review and let me know what you think. I promise not to wait so long again between postings!


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Well, here's another chapter in our saga. I hope you enjoy it. Please review so I know how I'm doing! I really do appreciate the feedback!

Chapter 7

Reno and Rude sprinted to Shinra's headquarters and stopped abruptly outside the tall metal structure. It was nowhere as grand as the old building in Midgar, but it served its purpose well. Standing seven stories high, the building blended in with the rest of the city: concrete, metal, and glass. Quietly pushing on the door, Reno peered cautiously through the entrance as he readied his EMR. Sensing that the lobby was clear, he grunted softly to Rude and entered.

Reno was stunned. "What's going on here?" Following closely after his partner, Rude searched around the lobby, but everything looked normal. The night security was sitting calmly at the desk arranging files and occasionally watching video. They peered again around the room. The red waiting chairs, the rack of magazines, the plants, metal file cabinet, and coffee table looked pristine. "Yo," Reno interrupted the security guard as he started filing his reports. "Is everything ok?"

The lanky older man glanced over at the two Turks and smiled. "Yes, everything is fine." He turned his back on them and continued his task.

"Where's the president?" Perhaps nobody knew anything was amiss. Reno shot Rude a questioning glance.

"In his office I would presume." He didn't bother turning around to face them this time. "I haven't seen him leave all night. Quiet as usual."

"Let's go." Rude lightly smacked Reno's shoulder and headed off towards the elevators. Rude pulled out his mobile and tried unsuccessfully to reach Elena. He frowned at Reno and slowly shook his head in response to Reno's unspoken question. Both men braced themselves as the elevator doors slid open on the highest floor. A thick silence hung in the air. Tseng suddenly appeared from an office, gun in hand.

"Help me secure the floor." Tseng commanded. Reno and Rude immediately fell in behind their leader and searched the rest of the floor. When it was apparent that there were no intruders, Tseng gathered his team in Rufus' office. The president was sitting pensively behind his desk with his fingers pushed together almost as if in prayer. Three bodies lay in a pile in a corner. "Not that I mind the backup, but what are you doing here?"

"Rude got a call from Elena saying Shinra was under attack. She called. We came." Reno kept glancing at the corpses. "Who are they?"

"Intruders. They came in and threatened Rufus." Tseng paused. "You say Elena called you?" Reno shook his head in affirmation. Tseng frowned and pulled out his mobile. After a failed attempt to reach the blond Turk, he stared at his men. "I sent Elena home just after midnight. There's no way she could've known this was happening." Tseng looked at the clock on Rufus' desk. The green lights read 1:27 AM. Turning his attention back to Reno and Rude, he continued. "I'll go check on Elena at her place." Reno smirked at his remark, but Tseng continued as if he didn't notice. "You two stay here and call the _special_ cleaning crew to come in and clean up this mess." He gestured over to the lifeless men.

"Tseng." Rufus stood up at his desk. "I think in light of this situation that we should forgo the Junon trip for now. Unless…" He turned bright eyes in Reno's direction. "Reno, I'll need you to scout out the area to make sure it's safe before I go. This meeting is crucial, and I shouldn't miss it."

Reno looked from Rufus to Tseng and back again. Reno was always a company man; after Meteor, Shinra was all he could focus on rebuilding to regain a sense of normalcy, but Rufus' stunt with Tifa earlier made him suspicious and more than a little skeptical about his boss' agendas. "With all due respect sir, I think I can safely say "shove it."

Rufus laughed softly. "I know you must be angry about earlier, but I tell you that my intentions are completely innocent. In fact-" But the telephone interrupted his speech. He answered it swiftly; though the call only lasted for ten seconds, Rufus' whole demeanor changed. Slamming the phone down, he promptly picked up a remote and turned on the television.

"Nobody knows what started the fire, but emergency services have begun to contain the blazes." A dark-haired male reporter stood in the forefront of the camera. He grabbed a soot covered woman by the arm as she staggered her way off-screen. "Wait a minute miss. What can you tell us about this? Are there any people trapped inside the bar?" The woman shook her head slowly and replied that she didn't know. The reporter looked slightly crest-fallen but turned his attention back to the camera. "For those of you just joining us, the popular bar Seventh Heaven has caught fire."

"No! Tifa!" Reno staggered back a couple of steps. His stomach felt queasy. Without warning, he turned to exit the office.

"Reno." Rufus' sharp voice stopped him in his tracks. "I need you here. I'll send someone else."

The red-head spun on his heel and marched over to Rufus' desk. "I'm going sir. I don't have any time to waste."

"Listen. I realize she's your friend, but you're needed here. Tseng needs to get Elena. I need you and Rude here with me in case another nut-job attacks."

"She's not just my-" Reno abruptly stopped in mid sentence; his eyes caught the images of some photos on the desk. "What the hell?!" They were pictures of Tifa and Rufus; most were doctored to look as if the two of them were sharing intimate moments. Reno's aqua-marine eyes blazed with fury; he whipped out his EMR and pointed it at Rufus. "Fuck you Rufus! Stay the hell away from my woman. If I so much as see you near Tifa or Seventh Heaven, I'll make sure you live to regret it."

Without another word, he spun around and ran out the door before Rufus could respond.

* * *

Cloud gripped Tifa by the shoulders and brought her to him. "Where are they? God Tifa! Please tell me they aren't inside!"

"I don't know." Tifa's head was spinning. "We have to find Victor! I left them in his care."

Cloud let Tifa go and started scanning the crowd for Victor. _Please let the children be ok_. He prayed. Emergency services had the fire mostly under control. Running between the throng of people that had appeared to help out, he felt helpless. _I have to go in there. I can't waste any more time if they're still trapped inside!_ Cloud frantically shoved his way through the crowd. Taking a quick breath to steady his nerves, he plunged in through the doorway as the black smoke billowed out to obscure his view, ignoring the shouts of the emergency staff.

"Denzel! Marlene!" He yelled while choking on the dense smoke he inhaled. He surveyed the burning bar. There was a strong smell of gasoline, but he didn't see any sign of the children in the bar on the first floor. He rushed to the stairs which were engulfed in flames. Without hesitation Cloud bound up the burning stairwell onto the second floor.

Kicking open the children's burning bedroom door, he screamed again. "Marlene! Denzel!" But nobody was there. He ransacked the rest of the rooms, pushing burning embers out of his way and leaping over other burning obstacles. The flames were still mostly confined to the lower floor and stairwell, but they were fast taking hold of the upper floor. He made a beeline for the room he used to share with Tifa, staggering and choking from all the smoke. "Denzel! Marlene!" He cried out, but this room was also empty. Relief washed over him as he realized they must be safe outside somewhere. Yet the relief he felt was fleeting, for now he had to try and get himself out of the burning structure. Turning around quickly, Cloud became dizzy. He was having difficulty breathing; he fell to his knees right as he heard a clatter on the stairs.

Reno peered through the doorway as Cloud fell on all fours. "Yo Strife! We gotta get out of here." He rushed to his side and draped Cloud's arm around his neck. Hoisting the blond man to his feet, Reno quickly assessed the danger. The stairs were now impassable as large, flaming planks blocked their escape. "Is there anyone else in here?" Cloud could only shake his head in response. "Good." Reno pulled him over to a window and opened it. Looking out below, he spotted a pickup truck and some large crates. "Can you make it on your own?" At Cloud's nod and grunt, Reno unhooked his arm from around his neck. "Ok. Out the window Spiky." And with that, both men leaped out the window and stumbled onto some large crates before falling to the ground. Reno and Cloud lay on the ground panting. The redhead turned his head in the direction of Cloud. "You know… you really are a pain in the ass Strife. What were you thinking?"

"I thought…the children were inside. I…couldn't wait…until it…was too late. I had to…find out…" Cloud sat up tenderly. His lungs were sore and his muscles ached from the strain, but he was swiftly recovering. He brought his knees up to his chest and glanced over at Reno. "Did your boss send you over here?"

"What kind of question is that?" Reno propped himself up on an elbow. The scorching heat had been unbelievable.

"I read the papers Turk." Cloud's tone sounded bitter.

"And you think that Tifa and Rufus…?" Reno laughed. "You are an enormous jackass Spiky. First, you let a smokin' hot woman slip through your fingers. Then, you get jealous because she appears to move onto someone else." He stood up and started brushing off his uniform. "You're a real piece of work."

"Are you saying that Tifa and Rufus aren't together?"

"What I'm saying is… if you want to know… ask her." Reno shook his head in disgust, but he offered his hand to Cloud to help him up, which he took. He briefly wondered what Cloud would do if he knew that he was actually the man Tifa was dating…_if we're still dating…_

"Why did you go in after me? Tifa ask you to?" Cloud started looking around for her.

"No. I saw you burst into the bar and thought you could use a hand. I thought you went in because Tifa and the kids were in there."

"Tifa!" Cloud turned his back on Reno. "Tifa!" He looked into the mob of people. Walking back to where he last left her, Cloud stopped and sighed in frustration. Now he had to try and locate Tifa and the kids.

"Strife! Wait up." Reno came jogging after him. "Let me try something." Reno brought out his mobile and dialed Tifa's number, but she didn't answer. While trying a second time to reach her, a man came up to Cloud and handed him an envelope. Reno came up and read it over his shoulder.

**This is an example of what happens to traitors who betray the planet. We will take back what is ours. If you try to stop us, we will kill the Avalanche woman and the Turk woman. We have the children. Don't do anything rash, or something bad may happen. We will release the children unharmed in a week if you stay out of it. Shinra will pay for its crimes.**

**The Reckoning**

Cloud's head jerked up, and he lunged for the man who gave him the letter. "Who are you? Where are they?" He yelled at the man.

"I don't know what you're talking about." The man looked scared. "Some woman gave that to me. I don't know her. I was told to give this to you or the redhead."

Reno's heart was pounding hard; he could feel each thump reverberate in his throat. "Tifa… and they must be talking about Elena."

Cloud crumpled the note in his hands and tossed it away in anger. He let go of the man and turned to Reno. "What does Elena have to do with this?"

"I don't know." Reno shook his head. "We have to do something. Let's go to the Shinra building. The others might have a lead on Elena."

Cloud snorted. "I don't think so lapdog. I don't need your help. I'll find these people myself and get Tifa, Marlene, and Denzel back." He started walking, but Reno grabbed his arm. "Get your filthy Shinra hands off me." He growled.

"This is serious. These people aren't messing around Cloud. I won't allow you to jeopardize the chance to rescue Tifa and Elena and those kids."

"You think Shinra can do a better job than me? I have other resources I can use." Cloud tried pulling away, but Reno's grip was tight.

"I can't let you go alone." Reno's voice was hard like unbending steel. "I'm going with you. Now you can argue with me all you want about this, but I'm not going to back down. The longer we drag this out, the longer the enemy has to keep ahead of us." Horrible pictures of Tifa being tortured were running through his mind; he attempted to block them out but was only slightly successful. He tried to swallow down the rising lump in his throat. "I came in handy tonight didn't I Spiky?"

Cloud nodded grudgingly. "Alright. Let's go… and don't call me _Spiky_."


End file.
